SAO: No Triumph Without Strife (Original Characters)
by Secantius
Summary: Trapped in a game of death and separated from her love, Dornia must pair up with a drunkard bard buried in debt to search for her while in a binding contract to be the bard's apprentice.
1. Chapters 1 and 2

NO TRIUMPH WITHOUT STRIFE: CH-1-2

WARNING: Spoilers to SAO and SAO II may be present as well as light sexual themes and violence. If you are distdisturbed or too young to be reading these themes, this warning is for you. Life has no censors...

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to references, characters, or franchises from SAO project. These characters are original characters for use in the story. All events involving them are meant to tie seemlessly into the story of Sword Art Online and Sword Art Online II; Namira Steiner (Dornia), Kiumimatsu Kanade (Claudia), Nora Steiner, Victoria Steiner, Toyo Kanade, Sakuya Kanade, Dauntless, Charles (Archangel).

CHAPTER I: The Death Game Begins

"Has it really been that long?" Dornia asked herself while sitting in the fields of floor one. She looked at the clock on the interface menu. For her, she had been waiting for an hour. The clock read '17:24'. "Sheesh, she's late again! She is gonna be the death of me..." She fell on her back in dramatic fashion. Claudia, her girlfriend IRL, was usually late but not for things like this.

The Nerve Gear and SAO were highly anticipated by both of them. It was basically a guarantee that they would both get a copy due to both of Dornia's mothers being on the design team. Dornia's birth mother, Victoria, was part of the item design team. She chored over every stat and design of a weapon to be sure it was perfect before release to the rest of the programmers. She was meticulous. A veteran of the German army, she was a helicopter pilot during the Afghanistan conflict. She was German on one side and Japanese on the other. Nora, worked closely with Victoria. Nora was also a veteran of the Afghanistan conflict. She was an AWACS controller with the US Navy. She was very passionate of her work on VRMMOs pouring her very soul into each line of code to be certain that every movement made was perfectly executed by a player. Due to their company dedication, they were allowed free copies of the finished product.

"It's not like she had to rush out and buy the game... what's taking her?" She excaimed, letting out a restless sigh. She allowed her head to turn from the skybox she starred at to fall to the left where she could see two players fighting a boar. It seemed to her that the one in the blue was teaching the other how to use power attacks. A rejoice was had when he finally struck the boar down and they promptly ended the confrontation with a high five.

"Hurry up, will you? C'mon Kiu... I'm bored as hell out here." She looked back to the skybox and closed her eyes. Suddenly, the constant gonging of a large bell was heard. She opened her eyes in a flash. She was no longer in the fields where she had been laying. She was in the town square lying down, surrounded by thousands of other players. The sky was red and it had seemed all time had stopped. "What the-? How did I get here? Must be a bug with teleport crystals or something..." She stood up and stretched her arms. A notification had popped up in the corner of her interface. '3 minutes ago: Claudia is online.' Looking around, she realized that all of the players were here. Every single one in the server.

The ringing stopped and a red hexagon displaying the word, 'warning' floated in the air. The hexagon multiplied until it filled the entire sky. One would assume blood poured from the lines that separated their shapes forming a massive figure in a cloak. People spoke aloud, "Is that a game master? Is this an event? It's probably just part of the opening ceremony..." It spoke as those who listened grew more panicked by every word that poured from his venemous voice.

"Attention Players. Welcome to my world. My name is Akihiko Kayaba. As of this moment, I am the only person able to control this world. I'm sure ypu've already noticed that the logout button is missing from the main menu. But this is not a defect in the game. I repeat... this is not a defect in the game, but a key feature in Sword Art Online. You cannot log out of SAO of your own will and no one on the outside can shut down or remove the NerveGear. Should this be attempted, the transmitter inside the NerveGear will emite powerful microwaves, destroying your brain and thus ending your life."

Groups of panicked individuals tried to leave but found it was in vain due to an invisible barrier that surrounded the perimeter of the town square. Akahiko Kayaba continued.

"Unfortunately, there have been several instances where players' friends and families have ignored this warning, and attempted to forcibly remove the NerveGear. As a result, 213 players have exited permenantly from Aincrad and the real world."

With a swipe of his hand, several floating displays began showing various news articles and public saftey warnings about the situation.

"As you can see, news organizations across the world are reporting on the situation, including the multiple deaths. Thus, you can assume that the danger of a NerveGear being removed has been reduced. So, I would like you all to focus on clearing the game. But be sure to keep this in mind. There is no longer any function to revive someone within the game. The instant your HP drops to zero, your avatars will vanish forever. And simultaneously, your brains will be destroyed by the NerveGear. The one condition for your escape is to complete this game."

He gestured and the once floating news reels were replaced by a 3d representation of Aincrad.

"You are presently on the lowest floor of Aincrad, floor one. If you make your way through the dungeon and defeat the Floor Boss, you may advance to the next level. Defeat the final boss on floor 100 and you will clear the game. Now then, finally, I've presented you all with a present in your item storage. Please see for yourselves."

Curious, Dornia opopened her inventory and pulled out a small mirror. In it, she saw her avatar with it's deep violet eyes, mature face, and long flowing jet black hair. She watched as her person was enveloped by a bright blue light as others were. Anxious of what was happening, she froze in fear. First there was a loud ringing and a blinding light, then as quickly as it came it all vanished. She looked around and noticed that players looked different. Some more drastic than others. Some became younger while others changed their genders entirely. The confusion spread like a miasma. She looked back in the mirror to see her face had changed as well. Her violet eyes were replaced by blue eyes, her face looked much younger like that of her real age, and her long black hair was replaced by golden blonde hair that extended no further than her collar bones. Her avatar looked exactly like her real world self aside from a scar on her upper lip that was not present. Others quickly came to the same conclusion as she did. She opened her stats and saw that her name did not change. It displayed 'Dornia' as her avatar. "How did it know what I look like?" She could overhear the two that fought the boar theorizing that it was due to the NerveGear scanning your head and the calibration. She recognized them from their gear they wore. She looked at herself and realized she was a few inches shorter. She saw the one in blue say something else but failed to hear him as he extended his finger to the game master. She looked to the game master once more. He spoke.

"Right now, you must all be wondering, 'Why? Why would Akihiko Kayaba, developer of Sword Art Online and the NerveGear, do such a thing?' My goal has already been achieved. I created Sword Art Online for one reason... To create this world and meddle in it. And now, all is complete. This ends the tutorial for the official Sword Art Online launch. I wish you luck, players."

Ahikiko Kayaba began corrupting and vaporizing in a red smoke, being sucked back into the sky riddles with 'Warning' and 'System Announcement'. As quick as it came, it vanished like it never was there to begin with. The town square was silent and still. All faces bore a look of shock and appall. Dornia's stomach sank and she felt nausious. The panic returned as the crowd began shoving and screaming. Dornia stood still as mobs bumped into her trying to flee. Where could they run to? She thought to herself. Nobody can leave here. Is fighting even worth it?

Minutes passed by as the town became closer and closer to vacant. More and more, Dornia considered giving up until she realized what she had read earlier. Claudia is online. Somewhere in the near ten thousand was Kiumimatsu Kanade, her love. "Kiu is here? Dammit, why couldn't she be a bit later! The one time she nearly makes it on time!" She looked around like a frenzied animal, frantic and afraid. She sprinted through the streets and began screaming her name. "Kiu! Kiu where are you! Kiu, it's Namira. Where are you!?". I have to find her. I have to find Kiu. It repeated in her head like an obsession for substance. She passed by players who ignored her. She was not the only one searching for someone. All seemed in vain.

Hours turned to days as she searched. Nothing. She could not find her anywhere. The hopelessness overcame her and she slowed her pace gradually until one day, she simply stopped. Sitting on a step, she began weeping for hours. Tears did fall but not a single sound left her mouth. She wanted to be alone for a while.

CHAPTER II: From Solitude Came Inspiration

Three months passed by. A young woman in a brown ragged cloak and a long sword on her hip sat upon the steps of the market strumming a lute guitar. A tale of lost love and revenge played melodiously. Dornia trudged along slowly for she felt she had no purpose. She stopped by the steps of the lute player who had a beret on the ground being filled with gold from other players. It would vanish into her inventory as she tipped her head to the passer-by. She never missed a note nor broke her bearing. She was dedicated. Her legs finally gave out from her restless search and she sat next to the lute player blank faced. Intently, Dornia listened to every note strummed and every chorus that flowed from the woman's lovely voice. Dornia realized she was smiling and quickly buried her head into her knees. It was the first time she had heard music in three months. It was sweeter than she had remembered.

The troubadour ended her song and stood to bow. She looked down on Dornia and scanned her. A girl in her later teens judging by her build. A pair of worn red trousers and brown boots covered her lower half. The troubadour could see she was wearing a cheaper cloak. Far less so in quality in comparison to even hers. She wore a white simple blouse, a light piece of chest armor, and golden hair hung down over her head obscuring any view of her face. With her foot, the troubadour nudged the quiet girl. "Hey, are you dead or somethin'?" She asked while doing so. "C'mon, your downer of a mood is turning paying tributers away. Either cheer up or go away." Dornia responded by curling up even tighter, not knowing what to say. She decided that silence was her best option.

"Look kid, don't try and hide from me. I am literally right in front of you. Curl up and hide if you want but don't think I didn't spot that look on your face. I saw that dumb smile of yours." There was a coy tone in her voice. She sounded playful, almost seductive with her word choice. What is she getting at? Dornia thought as she sat. All the while, the troubadour continued into another instrumental song with a beautiful chord ascending and falling in a wonderful melody. Dornia sat and listened. All the while, she could feel her stare searing into her. The woman pivoted back toward the passerby's and began singing another lovely chorus about a persistent lover.

"These scars long do yearn for your tender embrace, to bind our fortunes... damned what the stars own.

Rend my heart open, then my love profess. A winding weaving fate to which we both atone."

She continued the song with a large crowd gathering. People began talking among themselves in glee over her ballad. "Is that dauntless?" Asks a woman in a set of mid level light armor and an impressive lance. "I've heard that song from another game! Such a beautiful voice..." Another man in a light blue tunic armed with a dagger exclaimed. More and more gathered around, heavily congesting the main road with spectators of the bard. She finished her song with a quiet slow of her lute before giving an exaggeratedly low bow. "That is all for today, good people. I, The great troubadour Dauntless, shall be outside of the sleeping guardsman tavern at noon performing more ballads. Do tell your friends and loved ones, spread the word!" The bard raised herself to applause as she dawned a massive grin of satisfaction. She turned to see the curled up girl next to her had loosened up and was watching her in near awe.

"Will ya cheer up, Blondie? You're bumming me out." Dauntless said in a more sympathetic tone. She returned her lute to her inventory and placed her hands on her hips. She continued, "Look, I don't know what your issue is but I know two things for a fact in this world. One, we've all lost something and have scars to bear from it. And two, everyone cheers right up when they've had some good quality food to eat. Especially when it's free. My treat, kid. You coming?" She extended her hand out to Dornia and waited patiently with a sly smile. With hesitation, she reached out as well and Dauntless guided her through the town. "We'd better hurry along, it's already 18:30 or so. C'mon lets quicken our pace a bit!" Dauntless exclaimed in a chipper voice as she jogged along, practically dragging Dornia through the streets.

The two of them had been running for about ten minutes before arriving at the before mentioned tavern, 'The Sleeping Guardsman', at the southern end of town. Dauntless looked to Dornia who was hiding behind her cloak in a forlorn fashion. She still wore that sly smile as she spoke, "Stick to me, kid. I'm pretty popular around here so don't run off or you might get lost in the sea of groupies." Ending her statement with a wink, she practically kicked the door in. It swung open to a dissatisfied barkeep and shocked patrons who were taken off guard. One in the back shouted, "Aha! Dauntless is back!" and the revelry began in bustling and loud fashion in mere seconds. Cutting their way to the back with nearly a whole guild's worth of people following her, they took a seat at an isolated table against the wall.

"You playing anything tonight, Dauntless?" A rowdy man sporting a rough beard inquired. "Tomorrow boys and girls. Just here for a bite and a bed." She replied before turning to the barkeep who bore an expression that suggested he knew this would happen. "Barkeep, lets have the cook's special for two and desert! Surprise us! Start us with the usual!" She leaned back in her chair while the revelry began to die down but the cheery mood stayed constant. Dornia sat forward with her arms crossed feeling rather out of place in such an establishment. She was taken off guard when Dauntless piped up, " You gotta name, blondie? Don't think I need to give you mine." She gave a chuckle at the end of her sentence. Should I give her my real name or my character name? Dornia thought. I suppose Dauntless isn't her real name and I've only just met her... "Dornia... My name is Dornia." she stammered as she loosened her arms a bit. Her facial expression grew more relaxed but she still bore a look of neutrality. Dauntless wasn't fooled, she could see the despair deep in her dead eyes. "Dornia, huh? I liked blondie more but Dornia is good too... So you ever had booze before, Dornia?" Dauntless asked in an attempt to change the mood. The barkeep arrived at their table with a large picher of a deep violet liquid and two tankards. Dornia looked upon it and shook her head. "Well you're gonna love it." Dauntless said with her chin on her hands smiling hideously.

Dauntless and Dornia sat with their heads lying upon the table, the room spinning all the while. Dornia opened her main menu to see the time read '23:56'. "Shit. It's late..." She mumbled. She sat her head up to see that Dauntless was asleep on the table. She sat back in her chair and let her arms fall to her side while looking at the empty dishes on the table. "What am I doing here? Why am I still sitting with Dauntless? Sure she bought me a meal but why am I still sitting here?" She asked herself quietly. Her head hung back on the back of the chair and she looked on the wooden plank ceiling of the now rather vacant tavern. A different barkeep stood where the previous did. "May I have some water?" Dornia asked with a tired voice. A muffled voice from the mess of black hair on the table spoke.

"He doesn't speak Japanese very well... German. Hope you know it..."

"I know a bit I guess..."

"Well you're not getting any if you don't ask. He has a cheat list up there if you wanna try that."

Dornia cleared her throat, "Kann Ich habe ein Glas wasser, bitte?" The barkeep nodded with a smile.

"Holy shit, you actually know German?"

"A bit. I probably made a mistake or two but he got the gist of it I guess..."

"What, you know three languages?"

"Well one of my mothers is from Germany and the other is from America. It was sort of expected of me I suppose."

"Next you'll say you play the violin or something..."

"Well..." Dornia sighed and closed her eyes.

"Are you even a real person? You have all of this talent and you waste it running through the streets calling for someone who probably has already left the city. Who is this Kiu anyways?"

The barkeep sat a flagon of water on the table. "Danke Schön." Dornia leaned forward and drank from the flagon. "Bitte schön." He replied with a smile. Dornia wore her blank face once again. "I've been looking for my girlfriend... her name is Kium- er... Claudia. She's been missing since the beginning. To be honest, I don't even know if she's alive anymore."

"C'mon, if she's got even a little common sense she'd join a guild and use that as a jump. She play any other MMOs before this?" Dauntless asked mumbling with her face still pressed against the table. She was looking out across the tavern at the two at the bar. "Yeah," Dornia stammered. The alcohol, although digital, still seemed to affect her and loosened her tongue to Dauntless. She continued. "She has played more than I. She and I used to want to join competitive guilds and try to get into E-Sports but that sorta fell through." "Then there is no doubt in my mind that she joined a guild or a party. What I wanna know is, why didn't you join one?" Dauntless asked as she peeled her face from the hard oak table. Her face showed she was visibly exhausted. "Fear. I've been terrified from the very beginning." Dornia said as her face curled in disgust with herself. Why have I been such a coward all this time? I feel like a moron. She thought as she fell forward and slammed her head on the table, knocking a tankard onto the floor. It rolled about a meter before stopping at the leg of a wooden chair.

Dauntless, staring at the top of Dornia's blonde head, mumbled in a much clearer tone, "Fear is a piss poor reason. Fear isn't a hindrance, Dornia... fear is a motivator. Use that motivator and weaponize it. Sure it isn't all sunshine and rainbows but knights in shining armor are just knights who've never had their metal truly tested..." She gave a gesture without speaking and the German speaking man walked over with two more tankards of the violet liquid. He turned to walk away and bent down to retrieve the wayward tankard. He did not seem bothered in the slightest. "A little late to do anything about that I guess. I've got nothing to my name... That and I'm certain that, if what you say is true, she is somewhere in the level twenties or thirties. Here I am, still level one." "Listen kid, I hate listening to you mope and wallow in self pity. I'm gonna cut you a deal. I'll give you a loan from my earnings and you can get yourself gear..." Dauntless said in a monotone voice. Dornia lifted her head a bit as she listened. She was interested but knew there were strings attached. What does she want in return, I wonder? "On three conditions, Dornia. One; You are to be my apprentice bard and use some of that to buy an instrument." Dornia was confused but nodded to signal she was ready to hear the next term. "Two; You are to be certain you get a weapon because we will face foes and I hate dead weight in a fight." She nodded once again. "Finally, Three; We are going to find this Kiu person. Not because I want to swoop in and rescue from the big bad monsters she surely can handle herself. No, I just want to write a new ballad about this adventure we are about to embark on. Do you accept the terms of your surrender, Dornia?" Dornia was flooded with joy and tears began falling from her eyes. "Yes... I will do it. Thank you, Dauntless." Dauntless lifted herself with some effort and launched herself into Dornia across the top of the table shouting, "It's a deal then!" She wore a large grin and shot into Dornia's chest with her arms outstretched to hug her. Dornia jolted back but her balance betrayed her and she took the hug full force, toppling with the woman latched to her chest over the back of the chair and landed painfully on her back with the chair. Dauntless, legs still partially on the table, smothered Dornia with her cloak and bousum as various metal dishes scattered across the floor near the table. The two with the violet liquid spilled on the ground before vanishing as an expired food item. "H- Hey, Miss Dauntless? Could you get off of me, please?" Dornia requested in vain for she was already fast asleep, leg still resting on the table. Dornia sighed and tried to push her off but failed to do anything but move her head away from the cloak and bousum that suffocated her. She sighed and decided to give up, falling asleep as well.

Dornia awoke groggy and confused but she could, at least, tell she was no longer suffering from the affects of the alcohol she had drunk. Dauntless still laid on her, leg on the table, but had her arms wrapped around her. Dornia blushed but did not move in fear of waking the troubadour. She opened her menu wanting to check the time to see a request for partnership from Dauntless. She sent this three hours ago? Dornia thought as she accepted it. She looked at the clock to see it read '07:56'. She closed her menu and looked around the tavern to see it was full of players who simply ignored them. It was quiet. "I guess I'm stuck here for a while..." Dornia whispered as she laid under Dauntless' unconscious body. _I really should move but this lady is just way too heavy... Is this a regular thing for her to do? It doesn't seem like anyone is paying any mind to my predicament..._ Dornia pondered as she looked at the ceiling. From it hung a splendid chandelier made of antlers where candles burned in the brackets fastened to the piece.

A boot clad in plate steel struck the body that laid upon Dornia. Dornia jolted awake from the sudden shift of her body weight. She looked up, confused, to see a man in full and ornate steel plate armor. It sported chain mail underneath and large pauldrons complimented with beautiful wings and sharp details on the steel. A red and white tunic could be seen underneath. The man's face was hidden by a knight templar style helm with a cross for the visor that stretched from the forehead to the chin. He held a large kite shield some meter or so long and a sword to match. A red cross was painted on the shield with a white backdrop. Dornia's face had turned red as his tunic as she realized what it looked like to others in the tavern. She could not recall falling asleep again. A deep and gravelly voice spoke with an annoyed tone.

"Dauntless, wake up you damned fool. I thought I told you to stop sleeping around with random people!"

Dauntless jolted awake as well after a groan, "Wha- Who? It's not what it looks like!" She scrambled to get to her feet, knocking down a chair and tripping only to land on Dornia's chest, catching herself on Dornia's breasts with force. Dornia wanted to yell and protest but had the wind knocked out of her, all she could muster was a pained groan. Dauntless tried to stand once again. Dornia rolled to her side, gasping for air. Finally on her feet, Dauntless stood favoring her left foot as she spoke in her usual sly tone as if all was well.

"Well well well, look who it is... If it isn't Archangel. You really couldn't pick a less cringy alias, could you Charles?"

Archangel looked down to the woman and then to Dornia who still rolled about on the ground, finally catching her breath. "Quit changing the subject, Dauntless. I thought I might find you here. Even in this deplorable state as well. It seems my intuition is sound..." Dauntless brushed her clothes off and opened her menu. '11:13' is what it read. She sighed and closed the menu before looking back to the hulk of armor before her. "What do you want, Charles?" "You have a debt that is due, I'm here to collect. Do you have it?" He asked in a serious tone. "Nope, I haven't performed today. What are we racked up to, now?" Dauntless lied. "6,641 gold according to guild records. You want to pay an installment or do I need to bring the head of civilian affairs into this from the guild?" She cocked her head, placed her hands on her hips and spoke with sass, "I don't have it, Charles. Search my coffers if you like but I'm broke. Give me another month. I'll pay plus interest." Charles rested his helmet covered head in his armored hand in annoyance and sighed. "You said that last month, we gave you a month. I haven't the slightest clue how you got approved for this and, at this rate, I have no idea how you plan to pay it off at this rate." "Look, your guild, those blood knight guys-" Dauntless started. "Knights of the Blood Oath." Archangel interrupted. "Whatever. They're the good guys, right? So what do they plan on doing if I can't pay? Doubt they'd execute me. Imprison me? With what prison? Turn me over to the army? Those goofs can't defend themselves from a boar. I could just run off into the wild and hide out. You'd never find me, Charles." "True, none of those are really options. Even so, I am a creative person. I can find ways to ruin your life, woman. I admire your tenacity, though. You get one more week." He proclaimed and gestured to Dornia who was attempting to stand up with assistance from the wall. He continued, "You may actually make the money if you'd stop indulging yourself and open an account at the bank." Dornia spoke up, "W- We aren't together... I'm already spoken for. I mean, I'm taken. Not by her, I mean." She held her head low, embarrassed for even speaking. "Well whatever the two of you are, I'd be careful of this one," He said as he gestured to Dauntless' "She's likely to drug you to get what she wants... but it seems as though you've experienced this for yourself already. A good day to you ladies." He pivoted on his heel and gracefully glided out of the tavern.

They waited for the hulking individual to leave the tavern before speaking. "Who was that? What guild is he in?" Dornia asked, bewildered by the situation they were just in. "That was Archangel from the Knights of the Bloodoath. He is a shield man for their boss formation. I believe he is ranked as number eight in the line of power. He's really just a nobody, though." Dauntless said with ease as she picked the chair up and slid it under the table. "But that guy said you're in debt to them. How do you even get into debt with a guild on this game?" Dornia asked, still with much confusion displayed on her face. She threw her arms behind her head and smiled coyly. "Let's just say I'm a bit of a loot whore." A chuckle escaped her voice. She grabbed Dornia by the hand and began dragging her outside, "C'mon kid, we gotta get you equipped if we are gonna do this. Don't forget, you signed a contract!" She cheerfully exclaimed with a wink. "Take this list, I've taken the liberty to organize what you need and what you may want to grab. Here's 4,500 gold. Consider this your binding debt until this is resolved." Dornia, silent and anxious, took the list from her. It was on a scroll of paper neatly printed out in a font that looked similar to hand writing. It read;

To my dearest blondie, the following is a list of items you will need as well as reccomendations.

Needed items:

-weapon of your choosing

-find a musical instrument you can play. (If you get a lute, I can teach you how to play)

-armor of some sort (light reccomended)

-teleport crystal

-healing items

Reccomended items:

-cooking wares

-fishing rod

-bedroll

-lockpicking tools (hey, you never know)

-weapon maintenance kits

-a small weapon (dagger or dirk)

Return to the Sleeping Guardsman when you're done, rent us a room when you get there. I imagine I'll be performing still.

With all the unconditional love in the world, Dauntless the mighty.

Dornia lowered the list and noticed that Dauntless was already outside and strumming a lovely melody. There was some forty players crowding the pedestrian traffic. Dornia sighed and looked back at the list. _With all the unconditional love in the world_ "Must she be so creepy? I really do hope she is being facetious." Dornia rolled the scroll up and painstakingly slipped her way through the crowd of clapping and cheering for 'Dauntless the mighty'. After some difficult coordination, she finally slipped out of the back of the crowd and began her walk into town. Fortunately for Dornia, there was no risk of her getting lost in the town of new beginnings here on floor one. She had, afterall, been running through these streets for some three months in forlorn effort. Dornia scorned herself and looked at the ground feeling guilt. _Why, all of a sudden, do I feel so open and calm now? Is it her? Maybe it's just that I haven't had contact with someone for months? I've just slipped along the crowd saying four words. Those four words that I never want to have to say again. Kiu, where are you?_ She shook her head violently as she became lost in thought. "Focus, Namira! Focus!" She whispered to herself as she walked the familiar streets. Turning the corner, she continued for some hundred meters down the road before reaching a large market bustling with players who were buying, selling, and shops that lined the walls of the huge market. She knew there was a blacksmith in town that was very reputable.

She opened the door slowly. A bell hung against it and rang with a light jingle, notifying the shop keep. Dornia, caught off guard, jumped when she heard it. A young girl's voice could be heard from the back room, "Welcome to Lisabeth's smith shop! I'll be right there, feel free to look at the merchandise!" Dornia noticed the girl sounded much younger than her. There was a cheery pep in her voice but it was betrayed by the sound of struggle conveyed in her voice. Dornia hesitantly shuffled past the various display cases housing impressive and intricate swords, making her way to the wooden counter. She called out to the doorway behind the counter where struggling could be heard, "H- Hello? Do you... er... Do you need assistance in there?" The gleeful voice replied quickly, "Oh never you mind, I'll be up there in a jiffy!" Dornia, unsure with what to do with herself on account of her new found time, examined the swords in the display cases more closely. A particular piece caught her eye, although it was not what she was searching for. The ornate silver displayed obvious exemplary craftsmanship truly from a passionate labor. The piece was a rapier whose basket was a delicate weave of silver vines and leaves that tapered into the length of the blade itself. The black hilt was wrapped with dyed leather strips, between which silver wire spiraled up the hilt that only added to it's beauty. Dornia was in awe.

Dornia heard labored breaths on the other side of the doorway behind the counter. Peering over her shoulder, she could see a short girl who wore brown boots guarded by steel plate over the shins, a red dress covered by a white apron wielding plate steel on the hips, and the back of the apron tie hanging low to her calves. Dornia could see no more than that due to the three crates she carried that effectively covered the rest of her body from view. Nearly tripping on the last step of the entrance between the forge and the shop, she finally reached the top of the stairs. She took a moment to catch her breath but let out a sigh of shock when she began to lose balance. Dornia, in her vigilance of the situation, sprung forward toward the girl. Due to her agile nature, Dornia was able to slip past her and brace her from behind before she toppled down the five or six steps leading down to the forge. "Th- Thanks" She said with effort, still out of breath. "It was nothing, really." Dornia said as she lowered her arms, releasing her from a bracing position. Lisabeth, after a deep breath, continued forward with the three crates. Dornia followed closely behind until she set them down on the ground behind the counter.

Dornia walked back around the counter and was able to get a better look at Lisabeth without the crates obscuring her image. She was a short girl, about thirteen years old but she was uncertain. Her chest was covered by a steel chest piece and beneath it was the dress instead of the apron for it was tied at the waist. The dress wore long sleeves ended with white cuffs, the left shoulder being covered by a single two layer steel pauldron. Her slender neck was ornamented by a white collar and a red scarf bearing two yellow stripes running parallel to the length. Her freckled face was partially covered by a loose bunch of dyed pink hair. She looked up at her forehead with her crimson eyes and blew at her hair in frustration whilst she dug through her apron pocket. She revealed a white hair pin she promptly slid into her right bang, effectively removing the obstruction. She looked back to Dornia with a smile displaying glee, "What can I help you with, miss?" "Dornia replied, "Dornia. My name is Dornia." She returned a small smile. It was small but genuine and warm.

"Well Dornia, what can I help you with? Looking for blades or armor? I can sell it to you or forge it for you. I'm pretty skilled, you know?" She said confidently with her hands on her hips. "Um... I need a sword made. It's kind of specific and I need it for about fifteen hundred." Dornia replied, biting her lip to ease her anxiety. "What kind of specifics are you talking about? I'm good but I'm no miracle worker, you know?" "I need a long sword. It doesn't have to be ornate or made of rare materials. I just need a simple weapon." She placed her finger on her chin and pondered for a moment as she examined her customer, "You don't seem to be a very high level player... What level are you, if you don't mind my asking?" Dornia, with anxiety in her voice, spoke, "I'm er

.. I'm still only level one." Her voice began to die down in volume and became nearly inaudible. "Level one? Still? How did you get 1,500 gold?" Dornia chuckled nervously and replied, rubbing the back of her head. "It's kind of a loan... I need this sword to help pay it back. It's important... It's really important to me." Her voice trailed off to that same quiet tone at the end. Lisabeth recognized sadness in her voice as her facial expression changed from that of confusion to pity. "A- are you sure you want a long sword? I mean, it's a pretty heavy weapon in comparison to a short sword or rapier..." Dornia's expression turned to determination as she listened to Lisabeth speak. "A long sword is all I know how to use." "How? You're level one. There's no way you've fought something yet." "Yeah, I may not have leveled up yet but I do have one thing on my side." Lisabeth listened but did not interrupt. Dornia continued, "I do have my real world experience. If this truly is a realistic game, so long as that weapon meets my strength or agility level, I can wield it, right?" Lisabeth nodded. "Then I want an agility based sword. Please, Lisabeth..." Dornia had a look of desperation as Lisabeth looked her in the eyes. A moment of hesitation before she spoke, "Alright Dornia, I will forge you a sword... but do one favor for me when you leave here." Dornia, who was bearing a smile, asked, "What's that? I hope it isn't more debt..." "You have to survive. Survive and come back here with whoever it is you're looking for. Got it?" She gave a toothy grin and nodded.

Lisabeth walked to the doorway leading to the forge and picked up a board with a paper on it. Giving a swipe, a quill materialized in her hand. "Let's hear those specifics, shall we?" Dornia nodded and splayed a serious expression as she talked, akin to that of a professor at an ivy league college. Whipping her finger in the air and drawing in the air as well as gesturing to the table, she described the sword she desired. "The overall length of the sword should be 51 inches long, in which the cemter of balance should be 2 and a half inches below the top of the cross guard." Lisabeth began scribbling down as much as she could and as fast as she could as the blonde girl spoke. "The blade width should taper from 2 inches at the cross guard down to 1 inch an inch and a half from the tip before coming to a point. The cross guard in total length as a single piece should be 8 inches, however, should be bent forward at an angle as so the width of the sword does not exceed 5 inches." She was punctual as she gestured to the imaginary drawing on the wooden counter. "The hilt of the sword should be a leather wrapped hilt about a foot long for two handed use. Finally, the pommel itself is simple. It just needs to be a simple flat butt pommel with four flanges in a slight spiral. The piece needs to weigh 3 and a half pounds." Dornia laid her hands on her hips, feeling proud of her explanation she had provided and felt it more than adequate.

Lisabeth, still scribbling away on the scroll she had now laid on the table, paused and looked up at Dornia before inquiring, "All these specifics and in imperial system at that... what about personal touches?" Dornia placed her finger on her chin and pondered. She threw said hand in a point and continued her lecture with confidence, "I'd like the leather on the hilt to be dyed red... and let's add a charm on the pommel. A hawk skull made of brass." She said with a smile as she looked off into the distance in thought. Lisabeth leaned forward with an ecstatic smile and said, "Ya know, I've just unlocked this new smithing skill called 'engraving'. I have yet to try it out and would really like to. If you want, I can engrave something on the blade for you as a test of my skill. I'll even give you a discount on the finished product!" Dornia's face turned to that of self debate as she weighed her options. "Sure... you can engrave the blade." Nearly interrupting her, Lisabeth ecstatically vocalized her satisfaction, "Great! What do you want me to engrave? Since this is my first engraving, I'd recommend something with text instead of a mural or something crazy like that." She rambled on, twisting her hand nonchalantly. Dornia, with not even five seconds of thought, snapped her fingers, "No triumph without strife. It's something my mother always tells me..." Dornia's warm smile turned back to her usual sad expression she had become accustomed to. "Well, since it's that important to you, I guess I'll have to make certain this is a masterpiece!" The pink haired girl exclaimed with a thumbs up in an attempt to cheer her up. She looked back down to her scroll and studied it intently as she spoke, "You can stay here and watch me forge it or come back in an hour or so, if you like." "Actually, I have some other things I need to pick up so I will come back later." Alright then, I'll have it waiting for you when you return." She gave a wave without looking up from her scroll. She retrieved a parchment from under the counter and began writing various notes on it. Dornia began walking away toward the door and stopped a few paces from it. She looked over her shoulder at the young blacksmith, "Oh, and Lisabeth?" Lisabeth raised her head attentively, her scribbling paused. "Thank you..." Dornia said with a small smile. Lisabeth saw it was a small smile but genuine and felt it meant the world to her. She returned that smile. The bell rang once more as the door opened gently. It rang once more as it closed in the same fashion. Lisabeth sighed with a satisfied smile and began scribbling again.

Slipping through the crowds of both grim and cheery players, Dornia snaked her way across the market to a town guide. Interacting with it, she searched for a store that sold musical instruments. It provided her with the directions to one store. Seemingly the only one in the entire city. It was clear on the other side of town. A good half hour walk she reckoned. She decided to postpone her walk there and chose to stop at a general store in the market square. She opened the door of a shop front with large windows displaying basic weapons and armors as well as various crystals. Stepping inside, she received a warm greeting from the shop keep. He was an older man with a mustache as grey as his hair.

"Good afternoon, young miss. What can I get for you?"

"I need some of these items on this list."

"Hmm... I can get you most of these items but I don't have musical instruments..."

"Disregard that as well as the weapon. I do, however, need a dagger of some sort."

"I have all you need, then. These don't run very cheap though. The healing crystals I mean. After all is said and done, You're looking at about 700 gold."

Dornia, with some hesitation, opened her inventory and requested the broker for trade. 800 gold is all I have left. I need to be careful.

"Here you go. I have three sets of light armor. They aren't mythril or ebony but they are decent enough to keep you safe. Which would you like?" He gestured to three stands in the corner displaying sets of light steel armor. Each was complimented with a cloak with silver trim. The first displayed a plain but practical armor design with a black finish. The shoulders were small and covered the upper arms as well as had vambraces. The second proudly showed a shiny finished armor with ornate engravings on it's chest piece. The shoulders were like the one before it but had a blue cloak and the grieves sported plate down the legs. The vambrace on the left arm had spiked studs and gauntlets fully covering the hands. The third was similar to the first but wore red and white colors as well as a red cloak.

"The second one, please. With the blue cloak." The shop keep nodded and added it to her inventory. "There is a changing room over there to the left." He exclaimed as he gestured to his right. To Dornia's left was a wooden door that was left ajar. The shop keep picked up the suit of lightweight armor off of it's stand and handed the pieces to Dornia, carrying the smaller pieces with her as they walked to the changing room. "Thank you. I can take it from here." Dornia said, trying not to sound condescending. The shop keep didn't mind at all. He gave a bow and walked back to his counter, leaving her to her own devices in the changing room. Dornia walked inside with the rather large set of gear she had just bought. She couldn't believe how much larger than her it was. Splaying it out, she was able to get a better look at the armor itself with all of it's finer details revealed in the light of the candles. It's actually quite beautiful. Dornia thought as she looked over the overall piece.

The boots were a fine leather that was soft to the touch but well sewn and had plates of steel covering them with sharp points. Each end of their overlapping steel was complimented by a floral engraving of roses on a vine. The shins and thighs were covered by a series of inverted steel plates crawling up the legs of the wearer, ensuring maximum frontal protection. They too were complimented by similar engravings along their outlines. The belt was heavy leather sporting a simple steel buckle as well as a hanger for a sword. The chest piece was a form fitted plate proudly displaying more engravings of roses on vines wrapping up the left side of the chest and forming a coat of arms bearing a fleur d' lys on a checkered shield. The gorget was petite and covered the neck well, also complimented with roses on vines along it's trim. The neck was partially covered by the navy blue cloak that flowed off of it, lined by silver trim. The back of the cloak had a fleur d' lys as well in the same silver grey as the trim. The large hood partially covered the symbol as it hung from the back of the neck. The Shoulders were slim but sharp with two layers of plate steel. The left shoulder bore the lys as well while the right, the roses and vines. They did not seem to obstruct free arm movement. The upper arms were covered by a simple piece of armor with small ornate roses engraved into them. The gauntlets were a slim series of three plates, armed with full steel gloves. The plates that covered the hands were intricate, dexterous, and overall quite sharp. The knuckles as well as the left gauntlet flashed brutal studded spikes. It was clear to her that they were intended to be used as a way of parrying and light attacks. The armor bore a navy blue and silver striped quilted armory coat and trousers to compliment the theme. Dornia was impressed and satisfied with her choice but was confused of how to put the armor on. That and it looked too large for her, let alone the breast plate was clearly not made for a woman to wear.

Mumbling to herself, "I suppose I should start with the pants..." Dornia pulled her own pants down, revealing her black undergarments. In one movement, she removed her rugged old boots as well as her trousers, leaving only her tunic she had worn in. She fiddled with the armor until she was able to retrieve the trousers. Upon inspection, she saw that they were quite large for her. I suppose he would have brought up the fact that the armor was too big if it mattered. This is a game, after all. She pondered as she pulled them on, covering her undergarments up once again. She fastened the buttons and pulled the waist out forward, showing the five centimeters of spare waist room unused. She sighed in defeat but was interrupted when the trousers shrunk to her size. Stunned for but a moment, she quickly pulled out the coat and fit it over her tunic. It too shrunk in but a few moments. A wide smile appeared on her face as she continued equipping the armor. I never thought I'd be getting anything like this after this long of... her thoughts trailed off as she remembered her hopeless endeavor of running through streets shouting until she would collapse from exhaustion. She shook her head violently as to escape the depressing memories of the last three months. "None of that matters anymore," She said with confidence, looking in the mirror. "I'm going to find her and we will be together again. No more moping around!" She noticed an icon on the mirror next to text. It read, 'Currently in manual equip mode, press here to change to automatic equip (default)'. Dornia looked at herself and realized that she was changing like she would in the real world I keep forgetting this is a game. She face palmed herself and sighed. Swiping the menu downward, she changed the equip mode back to default and selected 'equip all'. A notification appeared in the corner of her eye, 'Armor of the Knight of Thorns equipped. Agility and endurance bonus active.'. This is a named set? Why is this so cheap? Dornia added her boots and trousers back in her inventory before exiting the small room.

The shopkeep took notice of her entrance to the main shop where another player was perusing the items on the various shelves and racks. "It looks quite nice on you, Miss. A fine fit! To be honest, I couldn't get a soul to purchase it for the longest time. I'm glad my son's work has sold." Dornia, examining the look of the gauntlets, spoke in a tone of genuine astonishment. "Your son made this? Why sell it for so cheap?" "It's more of a recognition thing. See, we don't really have our name out there yet so we plan on selling some impressive low and mid tier gear to lure in more customers. Pretty clever, huh?" He wore a cocky grin as he spoke. "That boy has some real creativity. That set you have is completely unique. Nobody in Aincrad has that armor but you. It may not be made of master materials but it will keep a new player well equipped until level 20 or so. Enjoy it and take good care of it, miss. Oh, and don't forget to spread the word of where you got it from! The name is Mizuki!" Smiling contently, Dornia replied in an anxious tone. "S-Sure thing... I suppose I owe it to you for giving me such a great deal." Dornia waved and turned to walk out, trying her best not to walk awkwardly with the foreign feeling of her new armor. "Have a good day, Mister Mizuki." She pushed the door open, letting the outside light into the dusty shop and beaming over the shelves of various potions and crystals, refracting a beautiful display of colors across the walls. The door swung closed on it's own, concealing the display until the next customer opened the door.

Dornia looked around the market and noticed it was significantly busier than it was previously. She swiped open her menu and checked the time. It read, '12:36'. "I should head over to the music store. I'm sure Lisabeth isn't finished yet. I should have 2,250 gold when all is said and done." She said to herself as she wormed her way out of the market toward the east. Various people were trying to barter off their old gear to passerby's. One called Dornia over to him. He was rugged and missing his shirt. His beard was down to his sternum and a large ax sat in his belt. On his back, a round shield was worn. It was clear, he was depicting a viking of some sort. "C'mere blondie!" He beckoned, "You haven't even a sword to defend yourself. How do you expect to fight, eh? C'mon and buy one from me!" Another in similar armor proclaimed, "You're in need of new armor with those old rags! I've got some quality tier gear for cheap!" Dornia ignored them and walked on, them changing their targets accordingly to those who were more willing to bite at their lure. Turning and winding through the stalls, she finally reached the edge of the market and onto the streets towards the eastern reaches of town. Various players walked about in groups chatting about achievements and rumors of the front. Dornia ignored them as well.

It took her near an hour to reach the shop front she was walking to. It was a shopfront in a much smaller and much less packed market, the architecture of the building having a stone foundation with plaster walls bordered by lumber. It reminded Dornia of her family in Germany and their property along the Rhein. She smiled feeling nostalgic. Turning the handle, she opened the door with a loud creak that would surely have echoed if not for the near hundred various instruments on shelves and walls that dampened the sound. A slender man with a fancy shirt and sideburns of brown hair was scribbling away on parchment. He turned his head toward the light of outdoors where he spotted a suit of armor and a cloak closing the door. The back bore a clear fleur d' lys and blonde hair in a loose bun. Dornia turned and saw the man had a short pony tail and a black velvet bow tied around his neck.

He straightened up from the counter and smiled coolly. "Ah, welcome to my humbled shop, miss?" Dornia replied, stumbling over her own inelegant words. "Hmm? Oh er.. Dornia. My name is Dornia." She blushed slightly in embarrassment of her ungraceful efforts. He, on the other hand, spoke with ease and eloquency. "Good afternoon miss Dornia, my name is Gabriel. What may I interest you in on this fine day?" He straightened his velvet ribbon on his neck as he spoke. "I er... was given a budget by my... partner. She wanted me to pick up an instrument to perform with her but my bughet is limited to about two-thousand gold. Could you help me?" "Of course miss Dornia, this way please." He exclaimed with a slight bow, gesturing toward a corner of the shop where various drums, viols, and madolins hung amongst many more instruments. Dornia stopped half way there, something had caught her eye and halted her dead in her tracks. "How much is that?" She asked, desire practically forming a miasma around her. "For that fiddle? 22,000. Just a bit out of your price range. I have plenty of fiddles but this one and it's sister are rare finds." "It looks just like a violin..." He held himself high, arms behind his back as he spoke, "Yes, they play exactly like a violin does as well. These items are rare drops on a floor 15 quest. Hence the price." Dornia bore a troubled look as she stared and bit her lip. "It's expensive... it would take me forever to get the money for that..." He shrugged and began strolling toward their destination as Dornia asked, "Is there a way I can play it for a few minutes?" He pivoted on his heel and took the fiddle down from the wall, swiped the body, and typed something on the menu. Dornia was unable to see what it was. He presented the piece to her, waited for her to hold it, and finally handed her the bow.

"It is currently in default mode. There are about a hundred songs into choose from, simply select one and you can play." Dornia, unsatisfied with the choices, reluctantly selected one and readied her hands. Before her, a display appeared similar to a rythym game from the early 2000's. "This is all wrong. This isn't like a real violin at all. Dauntless performs her own ballads on her lute. Writes her own songs. Is there a way to do that with this viol- this fiddle?" Upon hearing the name Dauntless, he looked to her with interest in his eyes. "Like Dauntless, you say? Idolize her, do you?" "No, it's not like that at all. She and I are partners as of last night. She took me as her apprentice or something. I really just needed her help to find someone. She's only interested in it for a ballad or something." Dornia's face turned sour as she spoke. Dornia felt displeasure in talking about her but she was the only person in two months who even acknowledged her existence, let alone offer a hand to help, regardless of the rediculous reasons she probably had. While she was thankful of Dauntless, she also felt resent. "Have you any proof of her partnership with you? A contract perhaps?" Gabriel asked. Dornia opened her inventory and pulled out the list she was given. "I don't have the contract. She kept that. I do have the list she wrote out for me though." She presented him with the list. "With all the unconditional love in the world... That certainly sounds like her but I'm afraid this just isn't enough proof. Perhaps there is another reason? She can spot talent quite well, it's how she became as good as she is today. I'll tell you what, you impress me and maybe we can work out a deal?" Dornia nodded eagerly. She knew she could, however, it was a question of how. "Here, swipe along the body and open the menu. Go to settings and change the play style to realism. It will perform exactly like a real violin. Full freedom of play style." Dornia followed the instructions to the letter and slid the bow across the A string.

"It's out of tune." She exclaimed as she began to slowly turn the knobs on the head. Beginning with G, little by little she tuned the violin. Another rub across the strings, followed by a few test rolls of her fingering notes. "That should do." She said as she took a picturesque pose. A simple melody was played, escalating and descending notes with various pulls of the strings. "I said impress me. If you cannot do so, stop wasting my time." Dornia stopped and looked him in the eye with an annoyed look in hers. "It's been half a year since I've played. I was recovering from a broken hand. Give me a moment." There was a sting in her voice as she punctuated every consonant at the end of her sentence. She readied herself once again and held the bow at an angle.

She began with a sul punticello giving off an earie high rasp and adjusted the bow to the normal postition, fingering the board with trills. The melody was depressing. Clearly a song of loss or despair. An escalation of chords fell to a sul tasto, regaining the sad perception. The sul tasto continued for a few seconds with soft trills complimenting the harmony. A sudden stop with a spicatto, interrupted by a brief movement of running the bow from the neck to the board, regaining the eerie feel. It plunged back into spicatto, raising tension. Expertly, her fingers danced across the fingerboard, sending visible chills down Gabriel's back as he listened in awe. The melody's intensity gradually died down to sul tasto and became deeper. The tempo rose, her tul tasto growing stronger until it burst in an explosion of heavy chords with spicattos at every other interval. Her delicate movements on the fingerboard ceased upon her ending notes where she slid the bow down from the neck once again, achieving the return of the eerie shrieking of chords. It was complimented by a final line of soft sul testos. Dornia held herself with a satisfied smile, her eyes closed during the performance.

"Where did you hear that song?" Gabriel asked, his eyes narrow.

Dornia, removing the bow and lowering the instrument, replied. "I learned it from my mother. She's the one who taught me how to play."

"What is your mother's name?" Gabriel asked, leaning back with arms crossed.

"Victoria."

"Victoria Steiner?"

"Yes. You know her?"

"Know her? I attended the same college as her. She and I were in the same orchestra. So you are her daughter? I didn't know she had a daughter."

"Yes, I'm her daughter. Namira Steiner." Dornia wanted to act condescending toward him but couldn't bring herself to act as snide toward him as he did her.

"So, who was the lucky man? Never saw her with anyone when I knew her."

"Well, she didn't exactly have a lucky man. More like a lucky woman..."

"A woman? That is unexpected. I hadn't even a suspicion she was a lesbian. Though now that I think about it, I fits."

Gabriel extended his arms out to receive the instrument from Dornia. "Now I know for certain you are Dauntless' apprentice. Especially if you are your mother's daughter. In saying so, I'm willing to make a deal with you." Dornia's attention was caught with his mentioning of a deal. He continued, "I am willing to part with this fiddle for 22,000 gold, however, I will allow you and only you to make a down payment and pay it in installments. four-thousand gold a month, am I clear?" He wore a grin foreign to Dornia. She could only tell it was lighthearted. "Er.. Yes. You have made yourself clear." His left arm returned behind his back with the fiddle as he spoke, articulating the bow in his right hand as he spoke. "Very good. I can take that two-thousand as down payment and you can return here to make payments or do so through the bank if you like. As for selection, I had stated that I have two fiddles. The first is the ash wood you were just playing. The second is in a display on the counter. I think you would like this one much more than the ash wood." He hung the fiddle back on the rack and the bow next to it. They walked back to the counter in the center of the shop. He reached down below the counter and opened a menu. In an instant, another fiddle with a rosewood finish materialized in his hands, the neck in his left and the bow in his right. "This one may be more to your liking." "It looks just like mine." Dornia exclaimed as she began examining it more closely. "Well the rosewood is a common finish but your mother has one like this. Family heriloom I imagine." "Yes it is." "It's yours after you pay the two-thousand. After which, I expect you to pay the fees on time." He wagged his finger at her in punctual fashion, making clear his point. She eagerly nodded, ecstatic to get her hands on the piece. "Take care of it, it's not yours yet Dornia." She nodded with a serious look on her face. Gabriel gave a swipe and typed something once again. After a brief moment, he handed the piece to her and a travel case with leather straps. "For travel. This will keep it invulnerable when it is equipped. Keep in mind, however, that it can be broken when it is outside of that case." She nodded and gave him the gold. 'Rosewood fiddle added to inventory' promptly appeared in the corner of her eye as it de-materialized. With a few swipes and presses, it re-materialized on her back in the brown leather case. "Thanks Gabriel. I'll let Dauntless know you said hi." "No you won't. Although talented, she is trouble." He replied, his hands in the air and smiling coyly. She chuckled and turned to leave, grabbing the knob and turning it.

Dornia exhaled with satisfaction as she readjusted the strap to her liking. Swiping open her menu, she examined the time. '13:59'. "Oh shit, the sword!" She exclaimed, her tone quivered with urgency. Like a fleet foot, she sprinted through the town streets retracing her steps. Jumping various stalls and slipping between bystanders and merchants. Her actions and movements, although aggressive, managed not to harm or disturb anyone along the near hour long journey she had run. Coming to a screeching halt, she stood outside of Lisabeth's blacksmith shop. She, once again' checked the time. '14:26'. "It's a good thing I'd decided to run." She wheezed, out of breath and hunching over gasping for air. After a moment of regaining normal breathing, she straightened her posture. Pushing open the door to she shop, she heard the bell once again. She was, however, prepared this time for the rather loud and sudden jingle.

"Welcome! I'll be up there in just a few minutes." Dornia heard Lisabeth call out from the forge. She walked to the back, behind the counter, and held on the wooded frame as she peered into the forge. Lisabeth had her back turned and was holding a steel rod in a furnace. Pulling it out, she set the billet on an anvil, cleaving off the rod from the billet. She retrieved a hammer and began pounding the billet that glowed in a brilliant yellow orange. After a few slams of the hammer, it transformed into a decent quality basket rapier. Dornia was unable to see her expression but could tell she was dissatisfied with her work by the sigh she let out. She stepped back and gave the sword a few swings and thrusts to test the balance of the piece. "At least that's correct..." Dornia noticed her mumble in the silence of the forge. There was no hope of hearing her mumble before due to the clanging of hammers and the crackle of the fire when the bellows blew air into the forge. She turned to her right and set it down in a pile of a few other swords of slightly more ornate designs. Beside them was a fur rolled up. Dornia hesitantly knocked on the door-frame to get her attention.

Lisabeth's head turned to see Dornia standing in a brilliant suit of light plate armor bearing the fleur d' lys and a leather case for an instrument on her back. "Oh wow, Dornia if you wanted armor..." She gestured, addressing the room in general, "I mean I am a blacksmith. I could have made you armor as well." She swiped across her hands, unequipping her white smithing gloves before rambling on, "The suit looks very good on you. May not match the sword though. Red hilt and all." She shrugged. Dornia waved her hamd dismissively as she approached, descending the stairs. Before she could walk to Lisabeth, she already stood before her and was inspecting the craftmanship of her new armor. She was very intrusive, and in doing so, caused Dornia to blush as the young smith lifted plates, kncked on plates, and crawled about her person. "W-What are you looking for down there?" Dornia asked, burning red. All the while, Lisabeth was nearly on her back looking up Dornia's legs, seemingly inspecting the knee joints of the grieves. "This is the work of an ammeter! A skilled ammeter but an ammeter at that! I'll give them credit though. The skill stacks give some incredible bonuses in combat with that agility and endurance boost. Even if you manage to get hit, it shouldn't hurt you too much. Smart decision." She jumped back to her feet and was rubbing her chin with an impressed look on her face. "Er... Is my sword-" Before Dornia could finish her question, Lisabeth cut her off, "Aha! Your sword is truly a pride-worthy piece. It was difficult to do with the limited price range but I managed! A real miracle worker is what I am." She quickly walked to the fur wrap and unraveled it, revealing a sword exactly as described with the words 'NO TRIUMPH WITHOUT STRIFE' engraved on one side and 'SERA DORNIA THE FER-DE-LANCE' engraved on the other in an old English text.

"Sera Dornia the Fer-De-Lance? What does that mean?" Dornia asked with a blank and clueless stare

"You know, like the snake?"

Dornia retained her expression.

"So sera is like a knight who is female and a fer-de-lance is a type of viper from South America. I figured the fast and lethal strikes of a viper was fitting." Lisabeth handed her the sword and stood back. Dornia swung it around doing various cuts and snakes to test the balance. It was perfect.

"Here, this is the sheath. It can be mounted on the hip or the back, whichever is to your liking." Dornia took the sheath and held it to her left hip where she envisioned it being mounted. She smiled with great satisfaction. Lisabeth returned the same smile two fold, pleased that her newest customer was so pleased with her work. She beckoned her to follow her to the shop as she walked toward the steps. Dornia followed, sheathing the sword as she walked behind her. "Most people wear their swords on their backs, why not you?" Lisabeth asked, looking over her shoulder. "Try doing that in real life. A sword this size won't even leave the sheath off the back. At least the hip is possible in real life." Dornia replied, exhaling as she stepped up the stairs. Lisabeth leaned on the counter as Dornia walked around the front. "So I managed to forge your sword using limited supplies and it came out fantastically. The cost added up to 1,370 gold. Looks like you've saved 130 gold." She exclaimed with a huge grin on her face. Without speaking, Dornia opened her menu and purchased the piece. Her small smile returned. She was on her way. "Take care of it, Fer-de-lance, she is yours. Treat her well and she will treat you well." Dornia nodded and equipped the sword to her waist. Before turning to walk away, she pulled the small Lisabeth across the counter and hugged her, unable to contain her giddiness. Neither Dornia or Lisabeth said a word. They both knew what Dornia was saying as Dornia released her and walked to the door. The bell rung once as the door opened. Once again as it closed. "You're welcome, Dornia..." Lisabeth said quietly as she smiled warmly. "You're very welcome..."

Swiping open the menu, Dornia checked the time. '14:41'. "I made good enough time, I guess. Time to head back." She started her walk back to the sleeping guardsman. She passed various peddlers on the streets she had seen before but she ignored them all the same just as they did her. Weaving through the now heavy afternoon traffic of players, it took her twice as long to walk to her destination. She arrived to a crowd some 15 meters thick of congested traffic trying to enter the sleeping guardsman. She began squeezing her way through and into the door, the excessive force she had to use to make it through the crowd exhausting her. Finally she broke through the crowd at a table to the left where two players sat, drinking an ale. She lost her balance upon exiting and was forced to brace herself on their table or risk falling upon it. Her arms hit the table and knocked the flagon out of a patrons hands, causing it to fall to the ground. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Let me buy you a new one. Ein mal ale bitte?" Dornia shouted. The man was visibly distressed until Dornia gave him 10 gold. "So sorry." She said as she bowed once, twice, and thrice before continuing.

Dornia looked across the bar and saw Dauntless sitting on the bar counter, drinking profuse amounts of alcohol and shouting across the crowd. She drew her lute like a blade and strummed it stylishly into the air as she laughed heartily. Dornia stood back and observed as she lashed on her strings with a devious grin before singing a verse.

"It was in the dark of moon in a week in June upon a hill all dressed in black,

"Standing above the graves, a black horse neighs, in it's stirrups the rider sat back.

She strummed violently between versus as she told the tale of a headless rider who reaped the souls of those who saw him. It was a truly horrid ballad but nevertheless, the crowd cheered on. Upon ending, she stood on the counter and gave an exaggerated bow to the patrons and listeners. As she did, she spotted Dornia trying to stay in the back of the crowd, listening with interest. "Alas good people, I am done with my performance and that is so. However, this doesn't mean the show ends yet!" She bellowed to cheers across the room. She gave a gesture across the tavern and crowd to Dornia who froze as her arm extended in her direction. Anxiety and exhibitionism was all she was made up of at that moment while she shouted across her audience. "Come one, come all. Allow me to introduce my apprentice troubadour!" The crowd before her parted, forming a path to the counter that was her stage. Dornia, still frozen with stage fright, could not bring herself to take a step. That was, until a foreign hand from the crowd shoved her forward. She stepped hesitantly at first but her step gradually became smooth and graceful as she approached the smiling Dauntless. Taking her hand, she climbed onto the top of the counter and stood on Dauntless' right. "My apprentice, only now revealed for the first time, shall reveal to you her stage name!" She proclaimed as she nudged Dornia in the ribs and egged her to speak. Dornia swallowed, her dry mouth making it difficult, and stammered, "Er... I'm er.. I-." She cleared her throat, took a deep breath, and spoke more calmly. "They call me Dornia the Fer-De-Lance. You all may call my Fer-De-Lance..." She clenched her fists to keep her hands from trembling as she spoke to her curious audience. She opened the leather case and revealed what seemed to the crowd to be a violin. Readying herself, she spoke across her crowd more comfortably but in her mind, it was chaos and fret. Oh god, don't fuck this up Namira! It's just like a concert at school. Calm and deep breaths.

"The song I shall perform for you is called Óró Sé do Bheatha Abhaile. It's a song of, after a wedding, bringing your wife home with you. It is in Gaelic but the lyrics aren't important. What is important is how much drink you have while you listen in!" Her bow slid across the strings as she rolled her fingers over the strings, playing high and low notes ending with a trill on each bar. She sang,

(Author's note: This song, Óró Sé do Bheatha Abhaile, can be found on youtube. The performance by The Dubliners is reccomended.)

"Óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh.

'Sé do bheatha, a bhean ba léanmhar

do bé ár gcreach tú bheith i ngéibhinn

do dhúiche bhreá i seilbh meirleach

's tú díolta leis na Gallaibh."

The crowd was quiet as she played, curious and optimistic. They began their merriment of drinking and swaying as the fiddler sawed, her leg swaying as it hung from the counter. A group in the back, seemingly knowing of the lyrics, began to sing along as they slurred every other word. Dauntless was unable to hide her gleeful smile as she watched the Fer-De-Lance play. She was so pleased by the reaction of her first performance that she brought up her lute and began to follow the chords as she got the gist of the tempo and chords. The song became a duet of lute and fiddle and the crowd became rather energetic. The chorus rang,

Óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh.

Tá Gráinne Mhaol ag teacht thar sáile

óglaigh armtha léi mar gharda,

Gaeil iad féin is ní Francaigh ná Spáinnigh

's cuirfidh siad ruaig ar Ghallaibh."

The crowd, at this point, all held flagons in the air as they swayed. Passerby's would stop and peer through the windows and watch with a smile. Such a joyful sight was rare in the game of death. It was this fact that troubadours, although rare, are welcomed by all. Dornia felt Dauntless rest her head on her shoulder, eyes closed, as she plucked the strings of her instrument. She sung on, shaking away her blush that began to spread across her face.

"Óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh."

A bhuí le Rí na bhFeart go bhfeiceam

muna mbeam beo ina dhiaidh ach seachtain

Gráinne Mhaol agus míle gaiscíoch

ag fógairt fáin ar Ghallaibh."

Nearly the entire crowd was giving it all to sing along, although terribly, but together the crowd managed to harmonize with each-other. It was truly a sight to behold. People from all walks of life, trapped in a death game and yet they all were care free. Dornia realized this. No matter how bad things got, there can be good things as well. She smiled that genuine small smile as her passion for the song multiplied. This is why I enjoy this so much? The mere thought of making people happy? So be it. She thought as she sang the closing chorus.

"Óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh.

Óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

óró, sé do bheatha bhaile

anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh."

Jumping to her feet, her fiddle never missing a note, Dornia sawed violently as she played the closing solo. The crowd joined her tempo with cheers and clapping to the rythym. She stomped her feet as they clapped, Dauntless looked on in awe as her new apprentice stole the show. She was wearing a large smile as she allowed her to play the solo. Giving two stomps, she ended her performance with a broad smile and a bow to the thunderous cheers and slamming of flagons that she received. Dauntless stood up and grabbed Dornia's wrist, raising her arm and fiddle into the air. "Fer-De-Lance, everyone!" She bellowed to the cheering crowd as some threw their arms in the air with her. Dornia was unable to hide her blush this time. "Th- Thank you." She stuttered. The crowd shouted back, "Give us another one!" One shouted as two others shouted in sync, "Encore!" Dornia could barely hear over the hundred or so giving applaud to her performance. Dauntless asked in her ear, "Well? Will you hive them one more?" Dornia looked to her, seeing her coy grin and cocky expression. She looked back to the crowd and held her fiddle in ready position, playing an eerie sul punticello from neck to board that silenced the crowd. She raised her fiddle, pointing it to the crowd. "Since we end our performance post this next performance, let us fill our parting glasses and leave here as merry as we are now." She exclaimed as she grabbed what she assumed was Dauntless tankard, raising it in the air after setting her fiddle down for but a moment. "To the here, to the now, and to those who we've lost and may we never forget them." Dornia set the tankard down and took up her fiddle once more and played a soft chord before she sang. It was not like the last song she sang. Nearly all in the room joined in song as she played. They sang,

(Author's note: This song, The Parting Glass, can be found on YouTube. The recommended performance is by The Clancy Brothers.)

"Oh all the money that e'er I spent

I spent it in good company

And all the harm that e'er I've done

Alas, it was to none but me

And all I've done for want of wit

To memory now I can't recall

So fill to me the parting glass

Good night and joy be with you all

Oh all the comrades that e'er I've had

Are sorry for my going away

And all the sweethearts that e'er I've had

Would wish me one more day to stay

But since it falls unto my lot

That I should rise and you should not

I'll gently rise and I'll softly call

Good night and joy be with you all

Good night and joy be with you all"

A thunderous applause shook the floor boards and roared through the streets from the door that hung open. Dornia stood and gave a bow as the crowd cheered her name. "Fer-De-Lance! Fer-De-Lance! Fer-De-Lance!" Dauntless, seemingly unable to contain her joy, squealed and tackled her in a hug thus causing the two if them to fall off of the bar and behind the counter. "A spectacular reaction! You're a natural, kiddo!" Dornia blushed as the woman was still lying on-top of her. "Would you mind getting off of me please, Miss Dauntless?" Dornia wheezed. "Only on one condition." Dauntless said as she wagged her finger. Dornia looked on expectantly. "Don't call me miss. Dauntless is just fine!" She exclaimed with a huge grin while she rolled off of her. She jumped to her feet, energetic as ever, and held a hand out to her. Dornia, catching the wind that was knocked out of her from the fall, accepted her hand.

"A violin, huh? Figured you'd find a fiddle but that looks pretty expensive. How much did you end up spending?" Dauntless questioned, hands on her hips and a coy grin on her face. "Er... Well... I used most of it on the fiddle... It was a down payment of sorts..." Dornia scratched her head and laughed nervously. "What did you do, my fiddler apprentice?" Her eyes narrowed as she smiled. Her eyebrow raised as she spoke. "I spent two thousand on the fiddle as a down payment." "Ah... So what do you owe still?" Dornia mumbled, "twenty thousand gold..." "What was that? Speak clearly." "twenty thousand gold." Dauntless' face turned pale. "twenty thousand?!" Dornia thought Dauntless might faint as she leaned on the counter. "W-Why did you buy a twenty thousand gold fiddle?! I'm already in debt as it is! Are you trying to get us pressed into service with a guild?!" Dornia brought her hands up in a defensive posture as she tried to calm the hissing whispers speaking to her. "It's okay, it's four thousand a month. We can make that easy! I got this deal because the guy knew my mother! That's why he cut me a break!" She still displayed her nervous smile. Dauntless stood silently but stared in Dornia's eyes for a few seconds contemplating something. "Fine but you're doing most of the work since you're the one that got us into this mess of a financial situation. Got it?" Dornia nodded as she lowered her hands. She took her fiddle and placed it back in it's case, securing it to her waist. "How about that room?" Dornia offered trying to change the subject that weighed heavy between them.

She and Dauntless hopped over the counter to the customer side and waited at two open stools in the rather crowded tavern. "Zwei biere und ein zimmer für zwei bitte." Dornia asked to the barkeep who was taking inventory of his stocks in a menu. He acknowledged them with a nod and, after some tapping and swiping on a menu, brought out two tankards of a light colored beer. "Seiner Zimmer ist im Obergeschoss. Es ist die letze Tür rechts." He said wiwith a smile as he handed them a key. "What did he say?" Dauntless asked after a drink. "Last door on the right. Upstairs." Dornia said before she took a drink. Her face turned bitter as she set the tankard down and slid it toward Dauntless. "Don't worry, it's an aquired tase." She said with a laugh. Dornia looked over her shoulder to see the patrons who had attended the show were mingling with other players and laughing heartily. Some in the corner jeld a table to themselves where they played dice poker and another pair were playing tablero. She had seen the game played before but did not understand it enough to play it herself. Meanwhile, Dauntless was observing her and what she was looking at before she piped up, "Have you ever played?" Dornia shook her head. "I don't know how, I'm afraid." Dauntless smiled, spun around with tankard in hand, "I'll teach you someday if you want. You don't have to play with beer. You just need four pints of a drink. It could even be water but that would be pretty lame..." Her head hung back to the ceiling as she spoke. She was quiet for some time before she jolted back to the conversation. So sudden, it took Dornia off guard and startled her. "Hey! I know what we should do today!" She rolled her head toward her as she shouted. Dornia nearly fell off of the stool as she met Dauntless' face mere centimeters from her own. She grabbed the tankard, slammed it's contents, slammed Dornia's as well, and grabbed her by the wrist before running out of the sleeping guardsman.

Practically plowing through players, some of which were already too inebriated to tell what was happening, and bolted out the door. "Wha-Where are you taking meee?!" Dornia screamed as the near sprinting woman dragged her through the streets, Dornia barely managing not to trip over the uneven bricks paving their way. "You got that fancy new sword now, eh? Fancy seeing how good you are with it?" She shouted back without turning her head. "What do you mean? Who am O going to fight?" Dornia shouted in total confusion. Dauntless looked over with fore in her eyes and a menacing grin. "Me." She held her thumb up toward herself as she ran. Dornia was unable to find words. She felt her stomach sink and her legs grow weak. Still, Dornia managed to keep up.

After a good twenty minutes of running, Dauntless came to a screeching halt causing Dornia to whip around her arm and roll across the ground. She took a moment to get her bearing before she stood up and dusted herself off. " _We're hee-eer_ " Dauntless sang as she beckoned Dornia to join her by the wooden double doors. The building was similar to Gabirel's shop in architecture but was much larger. The sign outside read 'Mutual Sparring Arena'. "Let's see if you know how to use that long sword." As Dornia hesitantly approached, her arm was grabbed once again and she was dragged into the darkness of the building. Her eyes adjusted as they entered to see it was occupied by other players who were chatting and making gestures as if practicing various cuts and swings with a sword. "C'mon, let's go find a ring!" Dauntless said with an energetic tone. She dragged Dornia to the end of the room and turned into a hallway. Making another turn revealed a much larger room with open space, an open ceiling, and several of pairs sparring with various pole arms, daggers, swords, and even a pair wielding only round shields as they bashed into each other. They made their way to the back of the sparring field, weaving their way around to the back wall as to nit disrupt other players who were sparring. Dornia noticed there were chests along the walls near each ring and a number stenciled on each. They came to chest thirty-one and thirty-two. "Alright Dornia, stow your gear and keep your armor and sword. We'll see if you play a blade as well as you play a fiddle, hmm?" "Will our equipment be safe in these chests? There are a lot of players in here..." Dauntless gave Dornia a smack on her shoulder making a distinct clank of metal plates absorbing the impact, "Of course! Once you close it, it adds a key to that chest in your inventory. Once it is empty, the key disappears." "Oh... I see. So how does this work? Is it like duels?" Dornia asked, swallowing in dread that her health may actually drain in this fight. "It's similar... Hmm... Weapons and armor don't have defensive or offensive stats. Therefore, my sword cannot harm you in this building. The same goes for you. It's meant for perfecting technique rather than testing power levels like a duel. Anyways, we're wasting time! Go over there and ready yourself! Shoo shoo!" Dauntless gestured toward the other side of their plot.

Dornia pulled her sword from it's sheath and held it at shoulder level, her right hand ontop of the hilt and her left near the pommel, holding it vertically and ready. Left foot forward and hips toward her opponent, she exclaimed with a shaky tone, "I'm ready when you are." Dornia tried to staunch the anxiety she felt. She was comforted by the restrictions in the sparring rings that protected player lives. Dauntless unsheathed a traditional hand and half long sword whose cross guard was a dragon whose wings were extended up the blade some eleven centimeters. She held it with one hand and posed a strange stance. Her left foot was behind her, her left arm was outstretched toward her oponent, and her sword was raised above shoulder height pointing in the same direction. She coiled like a snake waiting to strike. Dornia analyzed her opponent for her possible movements from such a position, reminding herself that this was a game and inhuman movements are always a possibility. _I'll have to get creative with what I know. I'm a bit too text book right now. She'll read me like a book._ Dornia thought as she calmed her breathing and rotated her wrists, bringing the point of her blade toward her opponent. Dornia extended her blade toward the middle of the ring as Dauntless did, allowing them to make contact and signalling the beginning of the fight. They simultaneously returned to their readied stances.

Like a flash of lightning, Dauntless coiled her wrist and gave an underhanded low cut towards Dornia's extended leg. Dornia, nearly too late, managed to block with the flat of her blade and slid toward her opponent while the hand and half slid down her sword. With her right leg, Dornia kicked Dauntless' thigh, knocking her off balance. Dornia performed a feigned overhand cut and twisted her blade under as Dauntless attempted to parry. She failed to meet the blade and, instead, attempted to hit her opponent. Dornia was forced to abandon her strike with a side step. It was far larger than she thought. They had swapped sides of the ring. "So it's true... skill _can_ beat the system. Let's get a bit harder then." Dauntless said with a grin. She raised her sword and readied herself in the same position. Dornia positioned herself in a much more bizarre stance. She held the blade downward and low to the right, her hands in the same position as before, leaving her entire left side open.

Dauntless coiled back and lowered herself before lunging at Dornia's chest. Dornia spun, allowing the blade to narrowly miss it's target, and whipped her blade upwards into Dauntless', knocking her sword and arm into the air. Dornia used the momentum to wrap the blade around like a vortex and hooked the off balance weak of Dauntless' sword, disarming her. Her sword circled around and stopped at her throat. A mere second later, Dauntless's sword slammed into the dirt, blade first, stabbing into the ground with force. Dauntless raised her hands and said with a nervous chuckle, "Alright, you win." Dornia lowered her blade and said calmly, "You telegraph your attacks too much. I can see what you were going to do with that last attack before you attacked." Dauntless said with narrow eyes and a coy grin, "Wow, you aren't so shy in combat, are you kiddo? You know some good moves there." "I was second place in the long sword fencing tournament last year in Germany. My mother encouraged that I take up the family tradition of fencing." Dornia said as she sheathed her sword. "Well aren't you a mama's girl? Mother this and mother that." Dauntless teased with a hearty laugh. She continued, "I'm impressed. You should be just fine on the road. 'Beware the Fer-De-Lance' they'll all say." She waved her hand across the metaphoric horizon as she spoke, ending her sentence with a giggle.

Dauntless placed her hands on her hips after sheathing her sword. "Where'd you even get a stage name like that?" Dornia shrugged and said, "I needed something on the spot and the girl who forged my sword engraved 'Sera Dornia the Fer-De-Lance' on the blade. I have no idea why she did, she told me it was a species of viper in South America. That was the first thing that came to mind, I guess..." "Well good luck changing it. That's what people are going to know you as. Know us as. Dauntless and Fer-De-Lance. I like the ring of it, actually." Dauntless took a moment to peer off into the sky through the open ceiling, her hand on her chin as she entertained the thought of people calling them said titles. Dornia shook her head and said, "Shall we take our gear and leave now?" Dauntless snapped out of it and nodded. "Yes, let's. We should go somewhere for supper. After all, we have quite a lot of coin from that little performance." "How much is quite a lot?" Dornia asked, walking toward chest thirty-four. "Without you, I made four thousand and fifty three gold. _With_ you, we managed an extra fifteen hundred exactly." Dornia's jaw dropped, "What?! How are you still in debt with earnings like this?!" Dauntless opened her chest and followed Dornia's lead in re-equipping her items before placing her hand on her shoulder. "Simple kid, booze and lots of it." She slapped her shoulder, her plates absorbing the impact once again, and gave a wide and toothy grin. Dornia looked at her with disbelief and sighed, "You're despicable..." Dauntless, now walking in front of her, spun around and replied while walking backwards, "Ohhoh boy don't I know it?!" She spun back around and walked on, her hands behind her head and laughing. They walked onward to the exit and left. Retracing their steps, they walked back to the sleeping guardsman.

Dauntless, with exaggerated courtesy, pushed the door open to the tavern. "After you, Sera Dornia the Fer-De-Lance." She said with a teasing giggle. Dornia rolled her eyes but was unable to hide her smile. They walked into the tavern to find it quite full with some dozen players, outnumbering the other patrons, sharing laughs and clanking their tankards. One among them was Archangel, the one Dauntless knew as Charles. All of them wore the same colors of armor, white and red standards over their plate. Archangel stood to give a toast, his tankard raised in the air. "A toast to our victory, a toast to our fallen comrades, and a toast to the shield line. May our line not lose another to the heat of battle." They all raised their tankards in unison to the toast, "Here!" They said in unison before taking a swig. Archangel noticed Dauntless enter with Dornia and waved to them to join them. The other knights looked over to see the troubadour and an unknown young woman with blonde hair walking over to them. He gestured to some open seats at the end of the table. Dornia tried her best to sit in them modestly as she was intimidated by the presence of those foreign to her. Dauntless, however, pulled out the chair and spun it around with a screech on the wood floor, and straddled it backwards before greeting them, "Greetings gents. What can this troubadour do fer ya', Archangel?" She spoke cockily.

Archangel cleared his throat, "So I understand you've taken an apprentice? This one here?" He said as he gestured to Dornia who sat quite uncomfortably among the men and women of the guild. "Yep. That's her. Mean with a sword, meaner with a fiddle. The one and only Dornia the Fer-De-Lance!" Dauntless said, playing up Dornia's name in an attempt to be impressive. Dornia blushed and lowered her head as she cringed. Archangel did not seem to be impressed. "So this is the talk of the town? Fer-De-Lance Dornia? Hmm... What is your relationship with my cousin?" Dornia's head shot up in a flash but she was unable to find words to her dismay. All she could muster was, "Eh? Huh?" As she looked to Dauntless and back to Archangel. "Well?" Archangel asked expectantly. "Erm... I'm just... I'm just her apprentice. N-Nothing more!" Dornia said, choking on her words as she spoke. By now, all eyes were on her as she was boiling in embarrassment. _Shit! Why did I word it like that?!_ Dornia thought as she stood blanched and ready to wince at his next words he spoke. He did not seem like a patient person to Dornia. Archangel spoke again, " _Just_ her apprentice? What did I witness this morning? Just being her apprentice?" Dornia did wince but only for a moment. She swallowed hard as she tried to speak, "I- I- We were just-" Dornia was cut off by Dauntless. "Relax Archangel, she's already in a relationship with someone else. She's not sleeping around with me and I'm not with her. We're just partners, nothing more." She said casually as she leaned forward on the chair, her chin on her hands as she rested her arms on the back of the chair. "If you say so, Dauntless. You know why I want to know." Dauntless threw herself back in her chair before exclaiming with an impatient tone, "Yeah yeah, I know. _You worry about me._ " She opened and closed her hand as she spoke, mocking him. "Don't worry, Archangel, I'll be fine! Now do we want to stop making my apprentice uncomfortable? That'd be great, thanks." Archangel let out a huff and shrugged. "Very well. My apologies, Dornia." Dornia nodded in acceptance of his apology and crossed her arms that were pinned to her knees for the duration of their awkward encounter. She wished it was her first encounter with him but it was not.

Dauntless let out a yawn and looked around at the group of shield men and women. "Hey, you're missing a few people. Why aren't they here?" She asked. The group all wore a sad expression. One of them spoke solemly, "We lost Suki in the last raid. Rosa and him, they were close. Rosa is back at the guild headquarters with Chloe. Chloe decided to stay with her and comfort her since Rosa is practically wrapped around her finger. She took it harder than anyone." A large built man next to Archangel began franticly wiping away his tears, trying to hide them. "I- I'm sorry. I didn't know him well but he seemed like a good kid." Dauntless apologised after a stunned expression. "I often forget just what the stakes are in this game. To Suki." Dauntless pulled out a wine skin from her inventory, held it up in toast, and drank. The others followed suit without a second thought. "To Suki." They said in unison.

Archangel, after staring off for a moment, said, "Thank you, Dauntless. How have you been, debt aside." "Well... as you know, I've taken an aprentice. We are setting out tomorow for the next town to perform and gather leads." Archangel looked intrigued. "Leads? For what, may I ask?" She looked to Dornia for approval to speak about her mission. Dornia nodded. "Dornia here is level one and lacks the resources and skills to undertake her grand quest of finding her love who is somewhere in Aincrad. She is here in this game but they have been seperated since the game had begun. I took her as my apprentice in a... mutual partnership." "Meaning you just want to make money off of her? I figured that much. Who is this person she is looking for?" Archangel asked. Dornia felt a nudge on her shoulder, queing her to speak. She was unprepared and hesitant. "Eh? Er.. She's... Her name is Kiumimatsu in the real world. Her character name is Claudia. She's a bit taller than I, has long black hair, and brown eyes." Archangel pondered for a moment and spoke the name aloud. "Claudia? Hmm... It seems familiar. I've heard the name before but I cannot seem to recall where or when. Is that all the description you can give me?" Dornia nodded. "She has a scar under her left eye from when we were kids but the NerveGear doesn't seem to scan scars. Only the key features of a person." Dornia said, her face showing her depression from the situation. "Anything else you can give me? Perhaps her fighting style or armor she wears?" Archangel said. Dornia shook her head. "I see. It's vague but if I hear anything else, I will send a message to Dauntless." Dornia nodded, trying to smile with gratitude but the result was pitiful. Instead of a smile, a few tears fell. Dornia quickly wiped them away, sniffed, and rubbed her eyes in an attempt to compose herself. Archangel watched, expressionless.

Dauntless, trying to ease the heavy emotion looming over the table, piped up in her usual chipper tone, "Hey! Who's hungry? I'm dying over her! Dornia, order us something!" She said, placing her hand on her pauldron and shaking it around, clanking the steel plates. Dornia snapped out of it and looked at Dauntless to see her give her a wink. Dornia smiled, and looked around the table. She counted twelve puzzled faces from the change of tone. Add two for Dauntless and herself. "Alright, how does vegetable stew sound for everybody?" She recieved no response, only blank expressions. One across from the large built man, a young woman with short brown hair, nodded with a smile. "Okay. I'll be right back." She stood, the chair screeching on the wood floor as it slid out from the table. As she walked away, she could hear Dauntless bragging. "She knows German, you know? She can talk to the barkeep without using that parchment you guys all carry around." Dornia could practically feel the smug grin from where she was. Dornia sighed as she departed from the party. She stood patiently at the bar awaiting the barkeep's attention. She did not interrupt his customers or his work.

He took notice of her standing alone waiting with her hands clasped. Hurrying over to her, he greeted her, "Guten tag, frau Dornia." She replied with a friendly smile. "Guten tag. Es tut mir leid aber Ich weiß seinen name nicht." "Ah, Ich bin Klaus. Was wöllen Sie meine freund?" "Wir möchten Gemuse Eintöpfe für vierzehn leute. Wie viel geld ist daß?" "Für vierzehn? Neun und achtzigg geld." Dornia opened her inventory and offered the trade in the bar menu. With a few quick taps and swipes, the transaction was complete and three platters appeared upon the counter behind the bar near the stove. "Kann Ich Dir hilfen?" Dornia asked. Klaus nodded and allowed the young blonde to take a platter. They both walked to the table filled with hearty laughter. Archangel even chuckled and shook his head to what Dautless had told them but Dornia was unable to hear what she said. Dornia and Klaus arrived at the table and began passing out bowls that were met wih rubbing hands and eager eyes. Everyone knew how popular Klaus' vegetable stew was, even Dornia who had never once tasted it. Once the bowls were placed, nearly in unison, the party spoke, "Thanks for the food!" Before they began consuming it in a mannor that was just barely considered courtious. Klaus took the tray from Dornia and spoke before returning to his post at the bar. "Danke für die Helfe, Frau Dornia." She smiled and replied, "Ich war froh zu Helfen."

"Just how many languages do you speak, exactly?" One asked. Dornia, a little more comfortable with the group, replied much more coherently. "Well... I can speak English fluently as well as German, although my German is not as good." "Why learn English? Was that required in your school or something?" "Well yes, but I learned English from my mom's side of the family. She's American after all." "So where'd you pick German up, then?" Another voice asked. "Er, well... I learned German from my mother." "Is your mom a linguist or something?" A girl asked between slurps of stew. "Well no, my mother is German." "Wait, I'm confused. Your mom is German? I thought she was American?" Dauntless piped up, "Two seperate mothers. One's her birth mother, calls her mother. Her mother's wife, she calls her mom. Mother; German. Mom; American. Make sense now?" "Aha! I get it now. What about your dad? Is he anything special?" "Actually, I don't know my dad." Dornia said, still smiling with a nervous twitch. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry too much." The girl said, with a look of remorse. Dornia tried to ease her discomfort, "Eh, it's not like that at all. See, I was from a donation bank. I don't know my father because he was a doner. He may be my genetic father, whoever he is, but he isn't my dad. I already have my parents." Dornia smiled warmly as she thought of home. That prospect of returning to the real world some day cheered her up and filled her with hope. "Two moms, huh? Same here." Said the large one next to Archangel. "Toki here has two dads as well. Not so different from us, Fer-De-Lance. Nothing to be so nervous about." He said with an inviting smile. Dornia blushed slightly, "Thanks, you guys."

One slammed their fist on the table, "Shit! We're so rude, you guys! Even after she treated us to a meal, we still haven't introduced ourselves!" The one next to Dornia bowed her head, "Crap, he's right..." She looked Dornia in the eyes, her neon blue hair that hung to shoulder length whipped around her head as she grabbed her hands. "My name is Kallen!" Dornia froze, unsure of her next action. "Any friend of Dauntless is a friend of mine!" Kallen said as she smiled, releasing her hands. On her left, a red headed man with a short beard and short hair shaved to a mohawk spoke, "You know me! Toki here!" He gestured to himself with his thumb. Just to Toki's left was a boy in his mid teens with black hair in a bowl cut and a cowlick. Quiet until now, he stammered, "I- I'm Nadako." A rather suave looking one with blonde swept back hair with slight curls spoke charismatically. "They call me Soul." He flipped his hair with his hand as he spoke, eyes closed. To his left, a far more cold voice spoke, "My name is Yagami. How do you do?" His head dipped, showing his black hair that was tied in a long pony tail. Leaning back in her chair, a girl whose black hair was bobbed in the back and long in the front blurted out in a chipper tone, "I'm Suuki! Let's grab a drink some time, yeah?" Sitting at the head of the table was Archangel not wearing his helmet, therefore Dornia was able to see his identity. He had short cut black hair with a cross painted on his cheek in red paint. "Don't look at me. You already know me." Archangel said without expression and arms crossed. Across from Suuki, the dark skinned, bald, and large built man spoke next. "The name is Briggs. Welcome to the group." His tone was mellow and kind. To Briggs left was a brown scraggly haired man with a slender build and rough facial hair. "I am Averion. A pleasure to make your aquaintence." To his left, a man with long black hair complimented by red streaks leaned in his chair, nearly tipping off of it a few times. "Delroy." He said as he gestured a two fingered salute. Beside him was a woman who had her feet on the table, ontop of another pair of feet. She sported a short bobbed cut of jet black hair that was nearly as dishevelled as Averions. Playing with a dagger, she spoke softly with a devious grin. "You may call me Suzane." Under Suzane's feet was another pair on the table belonging to a man with a short white ponytail. "Last but not least, It is I, Corvus." He threw his arms in the air.

"It's a pleasure to make your aquaintence, all if you." She replied with a cheerful nod. "Interesting to think that Dauntless would find an aprentice. I never knew she was looking for one." Briggs exclaimed, setting down his spoon for a moment to speak. "Well I wasn't. I more or less stumbled upon this one while looking for a source to write a ballad about. I wanted some real stories. Nothing embelished this time." Dauntless said between greedy spoonfuls. "You said that about the last one you wrote and changed the salamander to a dragon..." Delroy said with a quizical look. "A minor detail that I mistook." She quickly responded. Others around the table giggled. Delroy responded as quickly, "It was a two meter salamander that didn't even breathe fire! You made it into a dragon the size of a town!" "It's not like I claimed it to be true what I said-" She was interrupted. "You started your first performance of that ballad with, 'The events of this story is true' and strummed on. People keep hailing me as some sort of hero for that!" Dauntless scratched her head, "Okay maybe I embelished a little more than I remember. Still, I want this next one to be embelishment free. Once I found out over some drinks that she too is a musician, I offered a partnership. With some fine print of course." She mumbled the last sentence to herself to where not even Dornia understood. Archangel, however, did hear. It was obvious his listening skill was quite high. He remained stoic and continued to eat his stew. Delroy just laughed and shook his head, recognizing that it was not worth getting into with her as Dauntless had a way of dissuading just about anything.

A few hours had passed and Archangel checked the time. "It's getting late." He said as he looked out the window to the golden yellow light peering across the town and on the building across the street. Briggs stood up, "Yep, looks like it. We should get back to the guild house and check on Rosa and Chloe." A few sighed as they also stood up. They filed to the door waving their goodbyes and one-by-one exited into the street. Archangel was the last to exit. "Take care of yourself, Dauntless. Don't forget about your debt. One week." He exclaimed. "Goodbye Charles." She sneered teasingly. Archangel nodded, tusseled her hair, and walked out with his deep and gravelly voice, "Goodbye cousin." After which, striding out with his party. They were now alone at the table. Dornia sat with Dauntless in the quiet, the various sounds of the tavern, dishes clanking, chattering of patrons, and the crackling of the hearth, were now noticable as they were possibly the most rowdy group of patrons there for the better part of three hours. Dornia looked to Dauntless who had spun her chair around and had her feet on the table, her arms behind her head. Her seating position did not look comfortable to Dornia. "Why doesn't anyone else call him Charles?" Dornia asked. Dauntless was caught off guard by her question. "Huh? Well because he is my cousin. We know eachother in the real world, obviously. He doesn't like people calling him by his real name." "I see. I'm sorry for asking. I know it's rude to ask about people's lives in the real world." Dauntless slapped her shoulder, "Don't worry about it, Blondie! Curiosity strikes where it pleases!" She rocked her chair forward, throwing her legs off of the table, and stood up. "They're right, it's getting late. Let's grab some drinks before we head up to our room, yeah?" Dauntless offered Dornia her hand, to which she took, and helped her up. Dornia did not need the help but humored her. "I hope we don't get beer again..." Dornia said, appearing blanched. "No, I have something else in mind that I think you will like." Dauntless let go of her hand once Dornia was standing and walked to the bar counter with her. Dauntless held up two fingers and said with cheer to Klaus, "Cider!" Klaus nodded with a smile and, with some swipes and taps on menus between the two of them, carried two tankards out to them. Dornia, out of habbit, thanked him. "Danke." It was met with Klaus returning the gesture. "Bitte, Frau Dornia." After which, he wiped his brow, sighed, and went back to tending a couple of players who were partying and drinking copiously.

"Go on, try it! This is much different from beer." Dauntless pressured. Dornia raised it to her lips, expecting a bitter taste. Instead, she was greeted by the pleasant smell of sweet apples and cinamon. The flavor was exactly how it smelled, with a distinct after-taste of alcohol in low concentration and carbonated like that of a soft drink from the real world. Much like the wine they had the night prior. "Wow, this is good. I half expected a trick. What is this?" "It's called a hard cider. Basically beer but using fruit instead of grains and other shit, I don't know what. I don't brew the stuff, I just drink it." Dauntless shrugged and took a swig. Dornia followed suit.

Another two hours and nearly a hundred gold later, Dornia and Dauntless had joined the other couple in the copious amount of drink they were consuming. They were feeling the effects of the alcohol quite heavily, or rather the game's ability to accurately simulate being drunk. Dauntless, like a picturesque cartoon character, peered at her clock with one eye closed and mouth parted in a bitter face as she attempted to read the numbers. "Fuck... it's time to head to bed, Blondie." Dauntless said, stumbling off of her stool. Dornia, like her shadow, followed suit. The two of them staggered to the staircase and, after much effort and two failed attempts, clambered up the stairs to a hallway. They stumbled down the hall, Dornia retrieving the key, and opened the door to a room whose image was fuzzy at best. Candles were burning next to the bed. "I thought- *hic* I thought you got one with two beds?" Dauntless asked. Dornia shrugged and the two girls tumbled onto the bed. As they did, Dornia used her foot to close the door, it latching as it slammed shut. Dauntless landed face first into a pillow, letting out a long groan. Dornia, instead, landed on her side. They laid in silence for a few moments before Dornia returned to a thought she had ever since their duel. It had lingered in the back of her mind for hours but, whether it was the booze or the curiosity, she wanted to ask. "Hey Dauntless..." Dornia asked, nearly mumbling. "Hmm?" Dauntless groaned, as if it were that she had been sleeping. "When we were dueling, why did you let me win so easily?" She asked, her voice cracking. "What do you mean?" She mumbled from the pillow she had pressed to her face. "Clearly you held back. If you didn't want to duel me, then what were you really trying to do?" Dornia yawned. "Wanted to get to know you better." Mumbled the pillow. "In a fight? Why not just ask me?" The pillow replied, a mess of black hair sprawled out across it, "There are some things you can't communicate without conflict." "Where did you hear that one?" Chuckled Dornia, thinking it to be a jest at first. "Some kid from where I work... She said that to me a few months ago. Didn't understand what it really meant until today." Dornia laid in the silence once more. _What does she mean by that? Maybe how I acted during the fight? I don't know, I'm too tired to think..._ Dornia thought to herself as she stared at the walls of plaster where a painting of a windmill stood on a grassy hill, complimented by a blue sky. She wanted to ask her further about what her partner had learned but decided not to. It was convenient for her to let it go, for if she had decided to ask her, it would have fallen on deaf ears and a low rumble of snoring. Dornia let it go and drifted off to sleep.

Dornia awoke to see Dauntless still lying lifeless with the exception of her snoring. Her position did not change as she slept. Dornia sat up and checked her clock, stretching all the while. '08:18'. She nudged Dauntless' shoulder to wake her. The snoring halted abruptly as she raised her head to look around. "Ehh? What?" She groaned as she looked around the now well lit room. The morning sun shone through the wundows of the second story, filling the room with a warm glow. "You said yourself we were going to depart early in the morning? It's nearly eight-twenty." She stood up and stretched, her lute swaying on her back as she did. "Yeah yeah, let's go get some food for the road before we leave." She said as she staggered to her feet and walked to the door, Dornia following close behind her. Down the hallway and down the stairs they walked, passing a couple other players who were also opening their doors to head down the stairs and start their day. Reaching the bar, Klaus approached them and looked to Dauntless who gave a nod. After some swiping and tapping of menus, they nodded to eachother and Dauntless turned to walk out the door. Dornia said nothing, choosing to follow her lead instead as they walked their way through the morning crowds of players. They passed the markets, they passed the swindlers, they even passed some guards who were attempting to sort out an argument with a player accusing another of cheating him. It was a twenty or thirty minute walk before they finally made it to the city gates. They stopped at the open gate before the winding and weaving road that passed meadows and hills of beautiful green. The very border of the safe zone was in front of them. Beyond this point, she could be killed by anything. Dornia knew and feared this but her determination and newfound hope drove her to staunch the fear that welled inside her gut, screaming for her to return to the safety of the city. "Are you ready?" Dauntless asked. Dornia swallowed in fear but nodded with determination. Dauntless smiled, "Time for an adventure of a lifetime." The two stepped forward and departed down the winding cobblestone path towards the next town.

[End of chapter two. Do feel free to provide feedback as criticism is imperrative to keeping high quality in the story! Thanks for giving this a read. Look forward to the next chapter coming out around December or January! (Upload date: 6th of November, 2017) ~Dean]


	2. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Beware what lurks behind us.

Claudia awoke to the pounding on her door by a fist. Although she could not see who it was, she knew it was Archangel who was waking her for Briggs was far to gentle a person. "Chloe. Heathcliff wants us ready by ten for the meeting on the next raid. Get Rosa up as well." She sat up, a young woman with long black hair on the back and a braid that formed a crown, hidden behind her ears and joining the flowing black in the back. Rubbing her tiredness from her brown eyes, she yawned. She looked over to see her friend, Rosa, lying under the covers and still fast asleep. Claudia took this opportunity to try and regain her bearings on the world, checking the time as she did. '08:48'. She looked back to Rosa, the small violet haired girl beneath the sheets. _She must have slept in here last night from the nightmares..._ Claudia thought to herself, her hair falling down over her shoulder. She stretched and stood up, wearing only a simple bra and undergarments of red. The curtains were drawn, allowing only the golden light of the morning to rush into the room and give it a surreal glow. Openning her inventory, she equipped a pair of trousers, a tunic, and black leather boots. The thought that visited her from the back of her mind returned once more. _I wonder where she is. If she's okay._ She sat on the bed and stared out of the crack in the drapes. The town below was bustling and commerce was flourishing in the market just some hundred meters down the street. She shook her head violently, her hair swaying in a swirl of black, as she tried to push the thoughts back. "Focus." She whispered to herself. She turned around and placed her hand on Rosa's shoulder, giving it a light shake to wake her. Her eyes shot open, a brilliant crimson shade from her iris shone in the sunlight, as she jumped awake with a yelp.

"Another nightmare?" Claudia asked. Rosa nodded, lifting her head with a restless expression. "C'mon, they're waiting for us." She said with a warm smile and compassion in her voice. Rosa sat up and turned herself to get out of the bed. Sliding off of it's edge, she landed on her feet. Her face and hands slapped against the floor boards as she tripped, part of a sheet wrapped around her foot. A groan was heard by Claudia. "Are you alright? You really aught to slow down, Rosa." Claudia said as she walked around the foot of the bed to inspect the damage on her friend. Standing up, she piped back to her in a high pitched and petite voice, "I'm fine! Really, I am. Don't worry about it, Chloe!" _Chloe... a name so familiar to me but two months ago, It never rang a bell. How did they start calling me that, again?_ Claudia thought as she held out a hand to her friend, her accepting the assistance. Rosa was short. Very short. In fact, Namira was only about two centimeters shorter than Claudia but Rosa? Rosa only came up to Claudia's breasts. She was just barely over one hundred and forty two centimeters tall. With two thick braided pigtails that hung low to her back, she looked like a child. This, however, was not the case. Rosa was actually sixteen years old, nearly as old as Claudia. Despite her age, however, Claudia had her figured as an outcast of the group. Awkward, usually quiet when away from her, and having lost both of her brothers to the game as well as Suki, she was difficult to approach if she didn't wish to speak to you. For Claudia, Rosa seemed like a younger sister to her.

Rosa brushed herself off, her oversized tunic she slept in now unruffled. She was not wearing trousers underneath them. "Let's get ready, yeah?" She said in a tired but commanding tone. Claudia nodded, opened her menu, and equipped her armor that sat over a gabeson with the colors of The Knights of the Bloodoath and flowing states that hung from the back and waist. All were complimented with her hand and half longsword and kite shield that bore a white ram on green hills with a red sky, the name 'Steiner' stenciled on it for Namira Steiner, her girlfriend. She felt secure with knowing that Namira was, in some way, near her. Rosa, on the other hand, wore very light armor consisting mostly of chain mail and single plates. Sporting similar standards as Claudia, she wore one long state off of her back that was less like a cape and more like a ribbon. Long, crimson, and with a white stripe down it. Her shield was not as decorative as Claudia's but bore a checkered pattern with a gold cross on the center. Her shield was much smaller than Claudia's, acting more like a buckler. Her sword, instead of being a longsword, was a rapier with a coiling snake forming a guard around the hilt. Although she was part of a shield team, she was an extra on squad one. Instead of being in a defensive line for minions, she jumped the line and parried blows. Being light on her feet, small, and fast, she was difficult to hit. Maximum mobility over defense is what she built her armor to be.

A pounding on the door once more, "You girls are going to miss breakfast." Archangel shouted. "We're coming' we're coming!" Claudia shouted back to him. "One day, we should turn the privacy setting back on so we can't hear him pounding and just sleep in." Giggled Rosa quietly. Claudia chuckled and fixed her shield to her back. Rosa fixed hers to her waist, allowing it to hang over her rapier's scabbard. Claudia opened the door to see an empty hallway and the sound of clanking plates descending the stairs to the landing. Turning left, they passed by more small rooms akin to Claudia's. A single bed, a window, chests and drawers, and personal touches. One of which they passed was Rosa's, just two doors down from Claudia's, it's door ajar and several scrolls sprawled across the floor. A small target bag swung gently from the ceiling that was filled with straw, the holes in it were presumably from Rosa's rapier. Just one more door down on the right side of the hall was Yagami's room, who was sitting on his bed looking through the Aincrad paper. "Anything interesting?" Claudia asked, slowing her pace to recieve an answer. "Nope, just the Green Jade guild having a leadership collapse. Same old stuff." He replied, not taking his eye off of the paper. "Figures..." Claudia said as she walked on. Some fifteen meters of walking brought her to the flight of stairs leading downward to the landing. The stain glass of the large double doors shone a crimson red across the stone tile floor leading into the guild hall. Surrounding a table was a large group of guild members socializing, some in their own groups and some mingling with other groups. Walking into the room as the last to enter, others brought their attention to them briefly but quickly returned to their conversations over drink and food. They walked toward the kitchen in search of food, as if eating was required to survival in this world but the general gist of the situation was that it was normal to keep a healthy eating habit to cope with being in VR for so long.

A hostile voice was heard and a spoon flew out of the kitchen. Another was hurdled and yelling was heard by an angry woman. Another member of the guild sprinted out of the kitchen, more utencils flying in his direction. Waiting for him to pass, they both peaked their heads around the corner only for Claudia to meet a flying tankard with her face in an audible clanging sound. "Eep!" Rosa let out as she swung back around the corner, clinging to Claudia's arm. "Ow! What the hell! Who threw that!" The now tempered Claudia yelled toward the kitchen. A glowing red thick and uneven line was on her face where the tankard struck her. She rubbed her face and looked to find the culprit. It was the Beserk Healer herself. Part of a raid party, she was the up and coming member of the Knights of the Bloodoath. Ranked right under Godfree and leader of Team B. She was ranked as number 3 in command of the guild. Everyone knew it would not be long before she became second in command of the guild with how she fought. It appeared, although she was throwing cooking utencils, she was actually practicing her cooking skills and an apparent distraction entered her work area. This was a massive mistake on their part. Claudia turned pale and shot up to bow. "My apologies, ma'am!" Asuna, still irritated, waved her hand at her beckoning for her to approach. Hesitantly, Claudia and Rosa approached with caution for any more flying objects or the brown haired girl's wrath. She sighed and placed her hands on her hips, a cutting board before with various slices of salmon sitting upon it. Claudia stood before her in a position of attention and awaited her orders.

"You two, what team are you in?" She demanded with a relatively calm tone. "Claudia spoke, choking a little on her first words, "Squad one, shield group one, raid team A, ma'am." She went back to preparring her dish of salmon, applying seasons and preparring to place it on a pan sitting on the open flame. "Names?" "Rosa and Chloe, ma'am." Rosa spoke this time. "You can relax, the two of you." A sigh of relief came over them as Claudia rubbed her cheek. "Are you alright, Chloe?" She asked wothout looking up from her project. "Yes ma'am, I am alright." "I'm sorry about that, throwing all of that stuff I mean. It wasn't meant to hit _you_." Claudia laughed a bit before speaking, "It's quite alright. It isn't the first time this has happened. What did he do, anyways? If I may ask, that is." "He tried to ' _help_ ' me cook this dish. I know his skill level is low and told him to take a hike. When he insisted... well, you know the rest." "That was you telling him to take a hike?" Claudia asked with a quizical look. Asuna simply nodded. "As to apologize, I'll let you try my dish and give me your opinion. Do you like fish?" Claudia nodded while Rosa shook her head violently with an audible 'bleh'. With a few more chops, slices, and interracting with a menu, a plate of gormet grade smoked salmon with garnish appeared on the counter, complimented with a lemon wedge. It was the most apetizing looking meal she had ever seen in Airncrad. Taking her knife, Asuna sliced off a filet and placed it on a saucer, offering it to Claudia. As delicately as she could, Claudia folded the thin fillet and placed it on her tongue. It melted in her mouth, the sensations spreading over her virtual taste buds. It was savory, warm, buttery, with a distict taste of salmon and pepper amongst the smokey after taste, and also quite sour. "Your opinion? Be frank." Asuna asked, looking on in anticipation of her psuedo-critic's answer. "It's delightful but... I think you added to much lemon juice." Overall satisfied with her answer and after some thought, she nodded with a smile in a gesture of apreciation of Claudia's feedback. "Do you need us for anything else or may we leave, ma'am?" Claudia asked. Asuna nodded, "Yes, you may. I will see you two at the guild meeting today." They both nodded and turned to exit the cooking area. Asuna tasted and pondered on the flavor of her dish. It was clear she was contemplating improvements to her dish.

Claudia, with Rosa latched to her arm like a clingy child, walked to the front of the kitchen where three large cauldrons sat on a low flame. A method to extend the expire time on food to cook for a large group. In this case, it was a guild of fifty or so. The Knights of the Bloodoath were a medium sized guild but were quickly gaining traction due to their fight on the front lines. To build an army, you must feed an army. That's what the five cooks were for, feeding the guild. What better way to raise morale than a meal? They joined the line and picked up ceramic bowls. Following the two before them, they recieved the meal of the day. It was a hearty stew of potatoes, chunks of beef, and carrots all served with a roll of bread. They walked off to the center of the main room and joined their guild members who were finishing their meals at the time. Spotting familiar faces, they sat with their squad members. Briggs was seated at the end with enough room for four more. Across from him was Suuki and Kallen who were arguing about something mundane and uninteresting. Next to them was Suzane who was sleeping on the table, her food untouched gradually getting closer to expiring. They took a seat next to the massive hulk of muscle who greeted them with a friendly demeanor.

"Ah, so they finally have awoken? Welcome, welcome. How do you feel?" He asked, looking to Rosa. "I fell better. Well, better than Chloe's face." She replied with a small chuckle. "What happened to your face, Chloe?" Asked Kallen with a grin in anticipation. "I umm... I got hit in the face with a flying tankard..." Claudia said, rubbing her face where the once red mark had now disappeared, showing no evidence of the event. Kallen attempted to speak but ended up choking on her meal and, instead, began coughing frantically as she laughed. Briggs spoke up over the wheezing Kallen who was having her back pounded on by Suuki. "Do you know who threw it? I saw some commotion from the kitchen earlier..." "It was the Berserk Healer from team B. She was chasing someone from the kitchen. Guess I got caught in the crossfire." Claudia shrugged as she spoke. "She can have quite the temper. I try to avoid her, honestly. She scares me. Did she apologise about it?" Briggs shiverred when he mentioned his avoiding of the one known as the Berserk Healer. "Honestly she was quite polite about it. I thought she would scream at me or something. Actually, she let me try one of her dishes she was making as a way of repaying me for... err... the damage, I guess? Who cares, free food!" Claudia sat back, throwing her arms wildly into the air with a toothy grin. Rosa sat quietly but was pressed to Claudias left side like a magnet and was immovable with all of her might. Briggs laughed in his deep tone of voice, "She actually let you try her cooking? I've heard she was pretty close to getting a master rating in her cooking skill." Claudia nodded, now in exagerrated pride for the accident, as if it was her master plan all along. "How was it? Is it as good as they say?" Kallen asked, now leaning forward with Suuki, excited to hear her answer. "It was heavenly. It was... hmm. How do I describe it to a degree that's worthy? It's like five star dining but without the nonsense. You can really appreciate every flavor." Claudia described, looking at the ceiling, deliberately leaving out the lemon juice issue. She had no idea why she did, she had acted whimsically. They all, with the exception of Rosa, starred to the ceiling in wonder, trying to imagine the flavor of such a dish with a look of dumb longing. "You're really lucky, you know?" Suuki said. "I heard she put the last one who tried it in jail for bad critique." "I don't think there's truth to that rumor..." Claudia said shaking her head in disbelief to such absurd gossip to the persona of Asuna she had met just minutes ago. Claudia finally took her bread, dipped it into her stew, and began eating her meal. The flavor was meager at most in comparrison to Asuna's. She sulked as she ate. Not a soul asked why as they all knew the reason, for they too were thinking the same. All but Rosa who was eating her meal without expression, her arm locked around Claudia's.

The group stood in unison as they finished their breakfast for the day and walked to the back of the guild hall. As they walked, Suuki spoke up in a chipper tone, "Did ya guys hear? Heathcliff has made arrangements for a new guild hall!" Briggs and Claudia looked over, interested. Kallen didn't look over but her brow peaked, betraying her facade of disinterest. "Really? Where is it going to be at?" Claudia asked. "Yeah, and where did you hear this from?" Briggs followed up. "I heard it from Corvo. He get's bored and starts listening to things. Be careful what you say around him, he can be sneaky when he wants to be!" Suuki said as she leaped in front of them, twirled around, and walked backwards with her arms behind her in a cute and innocent fashion. "Figures it's Corvo that heard. He's usually got good info too. Well, where is it going to be? C'mon and tell us already." Briggs said with a grin. "You know that district with the small castle in the northern part of town?" Suuki spoke, still walking backwards through the courtyard of the guild property. "Yeah. Wait, that's high price property over there! You mean we are going to be near the castle in the high class district of the city?!" Claudia asked with gleeful excitement. "No... We are going to be _in_ the castle!" The group stopped and revelled in disbelief and joy. "In a _real_ castle?" Rosa said, breaking her silence. "Imagine how many we can house and train there..." Briggs exclaimed with a hand on his chin and a smile. "I hope it's got a cool training room!" Kallen shouted with clenched fists and fire in her eyes. "Oh I hope I get a room in a tower! I love those round rooms!" Claudia exclaimed, her hands clasped in romanticized joy.

Shoving past them was a tall and slim member wearing heavy armor, his hair in a pony tail and a face pale like a corpse. "Quit blocking the way you idiots. This is a walkway, not a congregation!" He continued walking, his cloak whipping dramatically as he passed. It was unclear if he had done it but the wind was still at the time. Claudia inferred to herself that he was simply trying to act intimidating. "Kallen muttered tp herself, "What an asshole. Why do they let guys like Kuradeel in the guild in the first place?" Briggs sighed and gave his opinion, "It's hard to have faith that someone like that would have my back in a fight." He shook his head. "I've changed my mind. It's him that I hate, not Daizen. At least Daizen isn't a dick about everything, just an opportunistic greedy pig." Suuki said. Her arms crossed. From behind the group spoke a familiar voice, "I don't give a shit what anyone says, that man is unfit for this guild. Something is off about him." They turned to see Archangel staring with disapproval to the wrinkled young man who seemed much older than her really was at twenty four years old or so. As they moved on toward the gathering assembly, Archangel stood and stared at Kuradeel who was striding away with his nose upturned. Claudia looked over her shoulder to see his eyes narrowed and he turned to walk back inside.

Briggs led the group to a group of open seats on the third level of the stone risers. On the open circle of stone tiles before them stood three individuals who stood waiting patiently. On the left was Uzula, leader of team C, in the center stood Asuna, leader of team B, and on the right stood Godfree, leader of team A and their team leader. Behind them also waiting with patience was a tall man with a grey ponytail and red armor. A massive shield in his left arm and a sword slid into a sheathe in the top of the shield. His eyes were closed as he stood, stoic like a statue. Claudia watched as, one by one, guild members trickled into the seats. After a few minutes, it seemed as though nearly all one hundred members or so were present. Heathcliff stepped forward and stood behind Asuna about a meter behind her. Godfree spoke, "We shall begin with attendance by team." One by one, they spent about ten minutes calling out names of guild members. To each name called but about a dozen, a response was heard confirming their presence. Rosa groaned in anguish as well as Suzane who was falling asleep in her seat. Finally, the lengthy ordeal was over. The sub-leaders parted to the sides and the guild leader stepped forward, his heavy armor plates clanking together. The quiet and ambient chatter of guild members died down as Heathcliff stood before them, ready to speak.

"As many of you know, this guild has grown a substatial ammount in the two and a half months it has been recognized. The Knights of the Bloodoath are growing more and more every day. By the end of the month and assuming our incline in members is as steady as it has been, we will not have enough room in this guild hall to accomodate them without the sharing of rooms. We all know already how small these rooms are as it is. I present Daizen, the head of guild finances, to speak further on this issue and it's resolve." From the corner, behind a pillar, waddled out a rather fat and short man wearing the standard guild armor. He was ungraceful in his walk, his overweight body having something to do with it. He cleared his throat and spoke, reading from a parchment that materialized in his hand. "Let it be known to you all here that, due to our combined efforts as a guild and team, we have succeeded in making our purchase of the north district keep." A stir of excitement and joy spread through the seated crowd. Daizen continued, "Our move will occur after today's raid on floor twenty three. It appears that our intel from the beta testers is confirmed that there is indeed a much larger keep on floor fifty-five. If we continue to grow at the rate we are now, we will have to move to that keep in two and a half months time. We are currently up guild profit by twelve point sixteen percent. You all have done a fantastic job bringing coin in for these endeavors but we must raise the profit margin by another six percent at least to make minimum for purchase of the keep itself, not including furnishing for the keep. In conclusion, we must make more effort in collecting rare drops. We may be able to achieve this by selling them in auction to middle tier guilds and lower. The other way we must achieve this is by collecting debt owed. Each squad should have their dossier on their collection lists. Do look that over and try to collect them. We are pushing to clear debt now. It's either,join the guild or pay the fine. That is all I have." Daizen, smiling cheerfuly, stepped back and waddled behind the group where he once stood before.

Heathcliff stepped forward once again, "I expect you all to know what we are to be facing today on floor twenty-three. We will be dispatching team A as primary after scouts from team C. Scouts are to scout up to the boss room but do NOT enter. We don't need a repeat of floor nineteen. If they block our teleport crystals again, we may lose people. Bring extra healing items and buffs. Team B will serve as reserve if team A has too much trouble but will mainly provide support to team A with healing and tanks to distract. I pass it to Godfree for further briefing on the fight itself and what to expect." Heathcliff stepped back as Godfree, hands on his hips and with a serious face, stepped forward and spoke, "As you know, we expect to face the undead wyrm in this boss fight. We are aware of it's effects and it's overwhelming ability to inflict area of effect damage with it's body. Keep in mind that it's body is bone and the energy emonating from it is essentially fire. Touching it WILL decrease your health. We don't know about any withstanding effects or how lethal it is so just be careful. The best thing you can do is not touch it at all. Secondly, the boss room itself is said to be a tomb with pillars running along the sides. It is possible to use them to an advantage to train the boss. If need be, we can use high agility tanks to get it's attention as we heal the main hitters. Thirdly, we know the boss has three health bars and three stages. The second phase apparently brings a second boss into the room. Any information on what this boss is has not been revealed. All we know is it is a possibility at this point. As for that one, we will have to rely on our ability to be versitile. Keep in mind that we are not alone, team B is with us and ready if we need to fall back. Begin your preparations, we leave in an hour." Godfree stepped back and shared some words with Asuna. Claudia's listening skill was not high enough to hear what they were saying from the distance. They stood along with the rest of the guild members and walked out of the open theater. Rosa was silent as they walked, clinging to her arm.

"Let's hit the market and grab supplies." Claudia said to the small girl, seemingly catching her off guard. "Eh? Oh, yeah that sounds like a good idea." She stammered. She was nervous. Claudia rustled her hair with her off hand and said, "Don't worry, Rosa. With your agility and my defense, who could hit us? We've got this." They walked out into the streets infront of the guild hall and proceeded east. "Yeah... but... but what if this the one? The one I don't come back from..." Rosa's head hung low as they walked. "I'll tell you why this isn't the one. It's because you've got me with you. That boss hasn't a clue how dangerous we are by ourselves, let alone a whole guild!" Claudia gave her an overconfident and toothy grin in an attempt to reassure her. "She smiled faintly and nodded, feeling a little more secure. "Are we really just fodder to them, I wonder? We are always put in the line of danger, left to fend for ourselves while support focuses on the attack group. I mean, I get that our job is important and all but sometimes I feel like we are a second or third thought to them. Like some underhand paid help who isn't worth a thing." Claudia perked up at her mention of this, "Huh? Well that isn't true, We have Briggs and Kallen, Delroy, Suuki, Suzane, all the others. We are all here, Rosa. We've got your back. You know that." Rosa walked quietly for a moment. She spoke quietly, "I know that, but it's like people don't give a damn who we are here. We work as hard, if not harder than anyone in the guild and yet people like Kuradeel step all over us, even though we are on the same side. It's a load of crap, Chloe." Claudia stared at her puzzled. "Rosa, where is this coming from?" They walked down the less crowded backstreets towards the market. The crowd was far less dense and much quieter than the main road. "I just can't shake the feeling that I'm not welcome here. Not by everyone else. I feel like I attract bad luck. I've already lost three people close to me since the game started. I'm... Chloe I'm scared. I don't want to do this anymore. I want to leave this place and go home." "Yeah, me too... but we both know how we have to do that." "Yeah, beat the game, I know. How long do we have to do this for? How long and what are the risks?" She began gesturing in a panic as she frantically spoke. Claudia could do nothing but put her arm around her and listen. "Statistically there is no way a member of our team gets out of here alive. It just doesn't work out, not mathmatecally. Chloe, we can run away from it all. We can just go... just leave and settle down somewhere." They stood still in the silence, people in small crowds passing around them. For a few minutes, they stood there in silence. Rosa was the first to speak. "I'm sorry. I guess I need to vent. This whole situation has me worked up. Though-," she chuckled, "Though I do like entertaining the thought of running away but I know that isn't an option for you. That person you're looking for, I still want to help." Claudia, although not saying a word, knew Rosa heard her. She had said enough with her silence as she rubbed her shoulder and walked on with a glow. Rosa was unsure if it was genuine.

The two arrived at the market, it's stalls and streets bustling with people. People speaking about various rumors and an uproar in town about a couple of bards. One of which, Dauntless, Claudia knew. This was not uncommon of Dauntless' reputation. She was quite popular. She paid no mind to the crowd and the two walked on. They entered a general store whose front was proudly displaying a rack of crystals of various types. Descending the steps to the slightly lower than street level entrance, the door swung open with heavy weight. A jingle of a bell alerted the shopkeep of the potential customers. "Aha! Welcome Knights of the Bloodoath! Collecting the taxes this early in the month, are we?" "Oh no, I was thinking about buying some knickers for my grandmother. See? I can be an ass hole too, Shiba." Claudia said mockingly with her hands on her hips. "You sure can be. Here, I have the usual for you guys. Even threw in some anti-venom just in case. Good luck you guys, come back in one piece." He handed her a chest and, after some presses, the transaction was complete. "Thanks Shiba, stay safe." He waved his goodbye and stared as they exited, mumbling something under his breath. Rosa's listening skill wasn't very high but Claudia's was just high enough to catch him saying, "Chloe, tell Rosa we should go out some time." She opened the door, smiled slyly, and flipped him off behind Rosa's back. As the door shut, Claudia could hear his laughter as she opened her menu to check the clock, "We have about twenty minutes, we should get back there quickly." Rosa nodded and the two ran through the market, stalls attempting to sell rare ingredients, more about the bard, and swindlers selling poor grade weapons surrounding them. It took no more than five minutes of running to get back.

Opening the large doors to the guild hall, they quickly noticed that they were one of the only ones who had arrived. They walked to an open seat in the dining hall and sat down for a while. Claudia and Rosa kicked their feet up onto the table. "Looks like we aren't late this time." Rosa said. Claudia chuckled but was interrupted by a shout from the back door. "Hey you guys!" It was Suzane who was nearly sprinting to them. Her speed overwhelmed her ability to stop in time and she plowed into Claudia, knocking her and the chair she once sat in to the ground. Suzane sprung up, her unkempt hair a mess covering her eyes. "Hey you guys, when did you get here?" Claudia picked herself up, groaning from the collision. Rosa helped her to her feet. "We just got here. Thanks for reminding me why I don't lower my guard around you..." Claudia dusted herself off and rubbed the shoulder she had landed on. "Suzane, why are you even running? You never run... like, anywhere... at all. Are you feeling alright?" Rosa asked, taking her seat once more and kicking her feet back onto the table top.

"Why? Because I'm excited!" Suzane replied, pacing and pumping herself up. It was unlike her to be this energetic.

"Excited? But... you're Suzane, the queen of not caring about a thing."

"Not true at all! Wow, I'm almost offended at your words." She held a sarcastic and dramatic tone.

"Well if you're so excited, why not tell us about it? Seems like you'll explodexplode any minute if you don't, anyways..." Claudia muttered.

"Alright but keep it away from Delroy. He can't know about this!" Suzane hissed in a whisper.

Claudia and Rosa looked at eachother with the same puzzled look and shrugged. Claudia looked back to Suzane expectantly.

"Okay, so there is a rumor about a unique drop on the second boss in the second phase of the fight. It's a specific weapon. Some kind of polearm or halberd. Anyways, Delroy is a loot whore, he won't miss the chance to take the killing blow if he knows. Help me set up for the killing blow in phase two and I will give you anything else it has on it. You in?"

Rosa shrugged and nodded to Claudia who looked back to Suzane, "Looks like we're in. Let's stick it to your brother, yeah?" Claudia chuckled. Suzane lit up and bore a hideous and toothy smile, "I owe you guys, thanks!" It was just as quickly as she came that she departed their company, gliding out of the room, her full cloak giving her a ghostly appearance from behind.

"Did I just hear Suzane thank us?" Rosa asked. Claudia, still watching her stride towards the stairs to the dorms. "I'm not sure what I just witnessed. Are we dreaming?" A voice from behind them spoke, "She usually gets this way when she wants to spite her brother." Behind them was Yagami in full plate standing quietly by a post. He threw his hands up defensively before continuing. "I'll keep quiet, don't worry. I overheard you guys is all. Honestly I could care less about getting the drop. I was going to ask if you two were ready yet. Clearly so." He ran his hand over his tightly bound hair and sighed. "I think something is up with Archangel. He's been quiet. More so than usual. Ever since you guys ran into Kuradeel." He leaned back onto the support post and crossed his arms. "Rosa, have you noticed anything strange with him?" Rosa shook her head. "We haven't spoke since then. I didn't even see him out in the market. He's just quiet?" Yagami nodded. "Maybe it's just me but... but if you guys notice anything-" Claudia finished his sentence, "We'll let you know right away." He nodded in reply and sighed once more. "Well, how do you want to set up her attack?" Yagami asked. "What?" Claudia asked, taken off guard from the sudden change in subject. "You know, the boss? Suzane, how are we going to set the kill up for her? There's no way we're the only ones who know. We'll have to be fast and efficient, that's for sure." "Oh, well I was thinking simple but I don't really know." "Aha! I will get a couple plans together. We can talk again before the boss room." Claudia nodded in aggreement before Yagami walked off without a word. "Why the hell would he even offer to help us? I get that he doesn't like Delroy very much but not at the level of doing anything to him. He just ignores him most of the time." Rosa asked Claudia as she swayed her feet that still sat on the table top. "Well, Delroy is an asshole, sure, but I think it's just boredom. Probably wants something to do while we wait." "To each their own I guess. I'm going to try and sleep some while we wait." Rosa said before closing her eyes.

It was only twenty minutes later that the now bustling guild hall was forming into groups and readying to leave. Rosa woke to Claudia poking her face. She was squatting to eye level of the seated girl. Her face was close enough that Rosa was able to feel her breath. Rosa, startled, yelled in fright and fell backwards with the chair only to be caught by Claudia. Claudia lifted her from the falling furniture and stood her up before saying, "Let's go, it's time to leave." Claudia wore a cheery face but Rosa knew what it really meant. She was nervous, just like any other battle. She was a poor liar. Rosa stood, stretched with a yawn, and walked with Claudia to their shield group. Godfree amd Archangel spoke to each other while the shield group remained leaderless. Briggs smiled as they approached. "You ready?" Claudia nodded while Rosa rubbed her eyes and groaned. "Good enough. Just look forward to sleeping in tomorrow, Rosa." Briggs chuckled. They said nothing and stood fast. Claudia met eyes with Suzane who winked at her and held her finger to her lips as if she were shushing her. She nodded and refrained from further movement. She wanted to think instead of speak. Prebattle meditation is what she told her team mates. She did not meditate, instead she just let her mind wander. A labrynth in her head, through the maze she ran, running from something... or to it? She could never tell. For some reason, she always lingered on this thought. It never left her, like a nightmare that you cannot forget.

"Claudia!" A voice shook her from her thoughts. "Claudia! Snap out of it, we're getting ready to teleport." Suuki shouted at her. Claudia calmly looked around and realized they had walked to the hub of town. She recalled walking with the group now but during the walk, she was drowning in thought. Nodding, Claudia readied her teleport crystal and waited for her turn on the stone circular slab whose runes glowed in a brilliant bright blue. Stepping onto the circle with her group of twelve or so, they filled the teleportation pad to capacity. A bright light flashed all around them as they dematerialized from the pad they once stood on. The flash receded and left the group on another pad on an entirely different floor. She stepped off and looked around. The terrain was completely foreign to her. Where once were rolling grasslands dotted by the occaisonal lush tree now stood an army of broken and dead trees all across a thick and foggy bog. Just to their left was a smooth surface of what looked like mud, seemingly safe, but sticking out of it's surface was a skeleton. This was a warning. She looked away from the ancient cadaver and spotted the rest of the Knights of the Bloodoath walking into a small town before them. Before them was an official of somekind. It was a player who was speaking to Heathcliff. Claudia, Rosa in hand, rejoined the mass of Heathcliff's cadre.

"Welcome to Dovenmarsh, the most dangerous level so far. Please allow me to introduce myself, for I am Mickey the master survivalist." Mickey was a young man, perhaps mid twenties, who wore a simple set of light armor but also wore a mass of gadgets, tools, and knick knacks. His lack of armor protection clearly didn't bother him as was evidence of his war axe. He spoke on, "Allow me to provide some free advice, if you stray from the road, do take note that if you find a patch of earth that has no vegetation and smooth like glass, don't walk through it. The real enemy of this stage is the terrain itself. Unless you've got a grappling hook and a friend, you're as good as dead I'm afraid." Stepping forward, Heathcliff spoke, "I imagine you could infer why we are here. Do you know a safe path to the room?" He puffed up his chest with pride and boasted, "I'd like to think I'm the best at navigating these bogs. After all, my friend and I were the ones who charted the maps here. You'll find no better guides than us!" He stood tall as he gestured to himself, complimented by a wide and cocky grin. Heathcliff considered him for a moment before speaking. "Do you just stand by this portal and wait for new groups of players who will hire your services?" He laughed heartily and, after containing himself, replied to the one who looked like a king in command. "Aye, that's me for certain mister. I don't charge much for a direct trip. There is an installment fee per head as well as a hazard bonus. The route there is riddled with dangerous bogs, some with toxic gasses as well." Daizen stepped forward from the crowd of some seventy knights and joined his leader at the front. His waddle came to a stop before the survivalist and waited for Heathcliff's decision before he proceeded any further. "What would that cost the guild?" Heathcliff asked with his usual cold tone. "For what I can see is maybe sixty or seventy guys? We'll say sixty, let's see here..." He gestured and counted on his fingers as he looked up to the sky, counting figures in his head before answering. "That will give you as a grand total, four-thousand and fifty gold for the whole group." Heathcliff motioned his head to Daizen who, upon recieving the command, waddled his way to the skinny survivalist. Claudia was unable to see the trasnaction itself but she could tell by tge satisfied look on the survivalist's face that he had been paid a little extra.

Heathcliff was silent and gave a nod to the guide who, following Heathcliff's gesture signalling his readiness, took the reins of the guild and bellowed across ths crowd, "Alright ladies and gentlemen, listen up and quiet yourselves. Welcome to the black marsh! Already today we have lost two players to the bog because they traveled without a guide. You were smart, you hired me. My name, for those of you who had not heard, is Mickey the swamper. I have been charting these routes for two months and am the longest surviving guide since the game began for a reason... I'm good at what I do so do not argue with me and follow my path even by foot step. Some of these spots are only centimeters across. If some of you are uncomfortable with this or don't think you can handle it, leave now because I don't want to deal with you later." He waited for a moment expecting at least two or three to walk away or vanish from the party. Clearly he didn't know the courage that Heathcliff's stoic image inspired as he stood before his words and didn't even look away. He was silent because he knew all behind him were with him. Certainly some were terrified of dying but all knew the stakes. Beat the game so we can leave. "Nobody? Good. Alright, secondly; If you get sucked in, do... not... panic... alright? Panicking will only cause it to suck you in faster. Be patient and call for help. We will stop the group and pull you out. Every other person will have a rope with a loop. Take the loop and put your arms and head through it, then hold the rope with your arms to your side. This way when someone rescues you the rope will be under your armpit and secure. If you have the option, use a tree for leverage. These ropes are sturdy and won't break easy. Any questions?" Mickey stopped speaking and placed his hands on his hips. One hand of a blonde knight who held a polearm raised slowly. "Yes? What is your question?" His arm lowered as he spoke, "What if someone falls in and we don't get 'em out in time?" Mickey's look grew grim and he answered, "Then we move on. Don't bother trying to salvage their gear, it will sink with them and vanish along with them. Any more questions you wanna ask?" It was silent. "Good, follow me and watch your step." The guild formed into a single file line and, like a long steel plate train, a clanking line of players stretched for hundreds of meters. Rosa walked in front of Claudia. It was at Rosa's request that this was the case.

For what seemed like hours, they trudged towards the boss room in the pillar that led to the sky. Winding and weaving through tree sand bluffs, and trudging through ponds and mud, Claudia could see at the head of the pack was Heathcliff's white cloak muddied. In front of him was the guide, Mickey, who prodded the ground with a large wooden pole. He would take a few steps, prod the ground a meter or two ahead of them, and take a few more steps. It didn't take long before the mind numbing boredom effected someone too much. A member who was behind her had apparently stopped paying attention. His foot slipped off of the bank and he landed on his side in the mud. In a panic, he thrashed and screamed to get back up but this was his mistake. In the time it took for people to get ropes ready, he had already sunken under. "Tanashi!" Another screamed as they tried to grab the kid who couldn't have been older than fourteen. Three people had to hold the sobbing man back as he screamed in despair. He had just lost his younger brother to the black marsh and the group knew it. The group took a moment of silence before the march continued. Rosa looked back to Claudia with worry in her eyes. Another fall occured not two hours later ahead of Claudia. Following the command of the guide, she kept still and took deep and calm breaths. It was Kallen who the rope flew to. She slid herself under it and, as the group hoisted her who was already knee deep, trudged herself out with much effort. The group clapped and a sigh of relief was heard. The black marsh was a strange land. Very rarely did you ever encounter creatures in the bog. The entire journey was met without resistance. It was almost as if the very land itself was the enemy here and they were horribly outmatched. Of course there were creatures of the swamp but they were all typically around safer areas. Perhaps they too avoid the swamps? It was for good reason if so. It took them nine hours to reach the boss room with thirteen falls and one fatality. A fatality that was still being mourned by the brother. The brother was a member of the the assault diversion group who was tasked with training the boss in the second stage. He was in no condition to fight. He and two others stayed behind to console him.

"Through here, we ascend to the boss room. Be certain you are ready. Team C, progress forward and begin reconnaissance of the tower." Heathcliff commanded as he stood watch over his cadre. The guide, Mickey, approached him. "Well I wish you the best of luck, guild master. I am walking back now but if you must turn back, acactivate this beacon." He materialized in his hand a crystal whose tint was light blue, the dim light of the sun shining through clouds refracting through it. Heathcliff took the crystal, Thank you, I apreciate your willingness to help." Mickey did not answer, he simply smiled and turned on his heel and began his trudge back to town. The trees and mist were so thick that in under five minutes, despite his slow pace, he vanished from view. Heathcliff handed the crystal to one of the men who were staying outside with the mourning knight. He gave a nod and returned to consoling the man who was silently sobbing. _Damn this bog._ Claudia thought as she leaned against a tree whose trunk was rooted in solid ground. "We wait here until team C returns. Ready yourselves and your weapons." Heathcliff commanded, his voice carrying through the bog into the mist.

An hour passed by like a hundred years as Claudia sat at the trunk with Rosa lying on her lap, trying to sleep. To others, it seemed like she _was_ asleep but Claudia knew better. She knew for certain she was pretending but she could not understand why she did this. Perhaps it was to keep others from trying to speak with her? Or maybe it was because she did truly want to sleep but could not due to reasons she chose not to console with her about? Claudia silently sighed and laid her head back against the trunk. Letting her mind wander, she scrolled through her inventory trying to pass the time. After a mere six minutes or so of scrolling, she reached over in the soft eaearth and picked up a stone. Examining it for a moment, she threw it against the wall of the tower that stretched for a thousand or two meters into the air. It struck with a crack and fell into the bog. She threw another as she waited, the silence of the wait killing her as everyone was anxious. Finally the entire group of group C returned with all members alive and well. She could hear them speak to the guild master. "The way to the boss room is clear. There are two loot rooms but both are booby-trapped. There are three traps that are pressure sensitive and probably lead to trap doors. We have mapped and marked them. If you are ready, we can move now." The head of group C said. Heathcliff nodded and motioned his hand, signalling the teams to organize. Godfree was heard shouting first for group A to form up in their groups and enter. With Archangel, Kallen, and Briggs in lead, the group of shield men and women marched in tow at the ready. They walked in single file, the entire guild, until they had cleared all of the traps. Behind them was group B and leading the guild was group C who led the guild through the traps safely. They asceascended the tower for just over two hours of stairs and corridors and slipping past the occasional trap. Onward they ascended until reaching a large set of stone doors at the end of their journey.

"This is the boss room, through here. We will begin prepping for medical support on the rear." Heathcliff bodded and turned his head. "We enter now. Let's go." He pushed open the door into an open room with eight pillars that stretched to the ceiling above some thirty meters. Iron rings with chains hung upon the pillars with brasiers holding torches that lit the room in a dim orange glow. Upon opening the door, the orange flared and became a bright white flame revealing the back of the room a massive sarcophagus. The group spread out with weapons drawn as the doors slammed shut behind them. The guild looked around nervously, awaiting an ambush that seemed imminent at the time. Instead, the group jumped from a startling noise that came from the opposite side of the long room. The sarcophagus gave off a piercing crack, followed by silence. They watched in the flickering white light as monochromatic shaddows danced across the stone tiles who were worn from what seemed like thousands of years of weather. Group leaders gave silent ciphers with their hands, motioning their ranks to form formations. The silence was only broken by the rattle of steel plates on the knights who expertly took position. For minutes, there was nothing. Nothing but silence and waiting. Heathcliff ciphered to his cadre and Claudia could see Godfree relay the command through his ciphers. Group A shield squads were to progress left while group B shield squads were to progress right. Archangel led the group to the left wall and formed a right wedge before progressing forward. Some twenty meters to their right was group B's shield squads progressing parallel with them in an opposite formation. They slowly marched out into the dim sides of the room, only the clanking steel breaking the silence. It was sudden, ear peircing, and shook the room to it's foundation. A shrill screech of a banshee? It was far worse. From the darkness of the ceiling descended a creature the likes of them had never seen before. They looked on in dread as three vivid green health bars formed next to it's head. The head looked like a giant skull of a deer whose teeth had been sharpened like needles. Hidden behind a barely visible black energy or flame perhaps, was a spine stretching for fifteen meters. It's rib cage resembled that of a snake and it's innards were said black energy that was barely visible in the darkness. It was difficult to tell what this energy was but it looked like fire from what Claudia could tell. It coiled like a snake, suspended impossibly in the air without visible legs, arms, or wings. It slithered throught the air and passed over group B's shield squads, missing most who had ducked but two were not quick enough. They screamed in pain and savage horror as a black flame engulfed them. Those around them gave the two victims a wide berth as they flailed forlornly. One of the shieldmen tried to smother the flames with his cloak he detatched only for the flames to engulf his cloak and him as well. Putting out the flames was not a possibility. The three were already dead, they knew this now but their death would be long and gruesome. One of the shieldmen quickly ran his sword through their necks, decapitating them all in a few swings. His green diamond turned red as he began yelling, "Don't let it touch you!" Immediately, the plan went into action. The shield groups began harassing it to get it's attention. It's dead and empty eyes turned it's focus to Claudia's squad. Her stomach sank as she began to back up with the group.

Archangel screamed out in a bellowing voice, "Wind him through the pillars! Godfree, send in the DPS group!" The group ran as the serpent's dreadful cry echoed through the room. It nimbly wove between the pillars as they trained it through them. The group of knights narrowly dodged bites and ducked under it's flames as it passed over them. From the sidelines came blistering fast attacks from the DPS groups who chipped away it's health. Every time the boss turmed it's head away to pay attention to their small but effective attacks, the shield group would send out a volly of their own attacks. "I think I see a weak point! On the forehead between the antlers!" Rosa shouted. "Use my shield!" Briggs called as he pulled his shield over his head. With a slam, Rosa sprinted up the shield and catapulted herself into the air, rapier in hand. Raising it in a picturesque striking poise, she landed full force into the crack, driving the point of the blade into the crack. The serpent roared in anger and agony as the crack got larger. Before Rosa could pull her blade, Claudia landed next to her, grabbed her waist, and bounded off of the beast. "My sword!" Rosa shouted as they fell. Claudia slammed into the ground on her shoulder, sliding with Rosa across the stone floor. Rosa loomed back to the monstrosity she had just attack and saw the crack she had just attacked was now spewing black flames that made her sword near invisible in the inferno. She stood up as the serpent looked to them with intent to kill, only to be distracted by Suzane who hooked it's jaw with a halberd and slammed it's head into a pillar where it left a sizable impression on the stone. "Look at me, not them! Ugly piece of shit, you!" She shouted, taunting the creature who had shifted it's focus to her with fury in it's growls. It shrieked and writhed in the air as it coiled for an attack only to be interrupted by a savage strike by a flash of white and orange that blitzed into it's head, connecting with a brutal crack. Screeching to a halt, Asuna stood beside Rosa and Claudia who had clambered to their feet and were dusting themselves off. "Where is your sword?!" She shouted tp Rosa who responded by pointing to the head of the beast that tormented the lines of knights that fled from it's flames. "I see. Take this!" She threw a dagger to Rosa and sprinted off to the fight before she could thank her. She held the impressive piece in her hand and sighed as her hand trembled. Claudia rubbed her shoulder and lifted her shield, smacking her sword on it in an effort to pump herself up before rejoining the battle. She looked to the health bar and saw that it was waining, merely a strik away from entering the next phase of the fight. Commands were heard from across the room by heathcliff who was guarding the support group of team C. "Return to ranks! Ranks ready for phase two!" He commanded, his voice booming through the fight and overpowering all other noises. Delroy walked to the front of the lines and, a lance in hand, coiled his arm before releasing a powerful missile hurled from his arm. He opened his once closed eye and smiled hideously as it struck it's mark in the same wound that Rosa had inflicted mere minutes before. It screamed like a banshee once more as the top health bar completely diminished itself.

The support group and assault groups cheered to the completion of the stage, however they did not drop their guard. It coiled into the air and held it's position as it starred at the field of battle. Once more, it was silent for a moment before a familiar crack was heard. A crack pierced the silence like a spear as the sarcophagus began to crumble slowly. The explosion was sudden and debris was sent across the room, striking players in the process. Dust obscurred their view as they stood vigilant and began pulling the injured to the back of the line to be healed. Four players approached the dust and began using slashing combos on the dust cloud, utilizing the wind in their favor as it blasted the grey and brown clouds away and revealing the dim lit room once more. Once again, the serpent descended from the ceiling but something was different this time. Foot steps were heard from behind the serpent. It could not have been a guild member, they were all formed in line and accounted for. _Is someone still out there?_ Claudia thought as she held her blade at the ready behind her mighty shield. She, as well as many others, remained silent and scanned the room. Claudia's hands grew sweaty as her stomach sank in dread as she hoped and begged in her mind that it was a guild member who was emerging from the darkness. Perhaps it was a stray shieldman or assalt knight who failed to rally? She knew in the back of her mind, however, that this was highly unlikely. She knew this was the second boss in the room that they were warned about. Gentle but heavy boot steps, complimented by the jingle of chains and charms, were followed by a hulking mass that came into view from the darkness. A humanoid who stood at three meters tall emerged, wearing a thick and tattered robe akin to a priest's. His head was covered by a helmet of iron and horns of a bull, the left one snapped in half, that extended from the sides of the headgear. Surrounding his robes were iron chains adorned with various charms, leather and worn tomes, and pentagrams that hung from them, each swaying and rattling as it walked. It's heavy boots and gauntlets were also wrapped in chains, covering most of it's incredibly muscular extremedies, and in it's arms rested it's weapon. An executioner's axe with an incense burner swaying from it's head, a black smoke whisping from it's orange embers held inside. The figure stepped with a slow pace before stopping just ten meters from the line of knights who stood ready. Terrified... but ready. It gently sat it's axe down on the ground before them, the head against the tile and cracking the surface, and allowed the incense burner to roll away before it's chain caught it. From everywhere at once, faint but constant whispers were heard as it stood, peering through their ranks. In a voice that seemed like pained whispers of a thousand souls inside it's helmet, "You intrude on my tomb. You and ypur company. Disturb my rest amd defile my pets." It raisraised it's axe in the air and swung it around, spreading incense throughout his area before he continued. "Such a crime is considered heresy to the gods. I shall pass judgement upon you. Who among you commands this pitiful company?" It's voice sounded as though it were in deep pain or torment. It looked to Heathcliff who stood centered in the back, standing stoic and silent. "Ah... you in the red armor. Come forward." It's axe head returning to the ground as it raised it's off hand to point to Heathcliff in particular. "You are their commander, are you not?" Heathcliff strode to the front of the line, all befoee him parting like a wind through sand. He stepped beyond his line of knights who looked on in confusion and worry, seeking reassurance from their glorious leader. He stopped three meters from the line and looked at the figure. "Do you know who I am, red one?" It whispered as it's hand still pointed at him. Heathcliff shook his head. "I am Paptyhiljädge, high priest of the order of whispers. You are responsible of the actions of these knights?" It lowered it's hand and rested it's hand on the axe handle. Heathcliff nodded, standing fearless in the face of potential and immediate death. "I pass judgement upon you, red one. You shall die first." It whispered as a flash of movement slammed against the ground, causing an explosion of tiles throwing their shrapnell in a shower over the knights. Heathcliff, seemingly only missing the axe head by mere centimeters, immediately struck it's wrists with his shield before backing off of the striking range of the weapon. Heathcliff ciphered for his men to change their tactics. Commands from three places at once howled across the lines. It stood straight up and composed itself as it nodded, clearly directed at the serpent to order it's return to battle by command of it's master. The priest stepped backwards as the serpent coiled around it. After a moment, it slithered back to the rear, revealing the priest's axe was now coated in the black flame that covered the body of the serpent.

"Claudia! Regroup with your squad! Focus, girl!" Godfree shouted at her as she stood frozen before the movement of the battlefield. She shook her head and shouted back as she ran to her shield squad. "Yes sir!" The group had assumed a chevron formation and was progressing toward the serpent once again. The priest rasped to his serpent, "Nautflig! Orpos niltastermus!" The serpent screeched in response to it's master's command and reared it's head, leaving it's jaw partially open. Claudia could hear a whisper or a hiss from the beast. Archangel shouted to the squad, "Behind the pillar! Now!" as he forcibly ushered the shield men and women behind the pillars. Not all were so lucky to avoid the attack. Half of shield squad two was completely engulfed in black flames, savagely screaming in pain as they slowly burned to ash, exploding into red shards and vanishing from the game world. Yagami screamed in pain as the group turned to see his left arm engulfed to the elbow in flames and spreading quickly. He wailed in panic as he realized the situation. Archangel, without a word, slashed his sword upward and severed his arm at the shoulder, the still burning limb landing on the ground and turning to ash as well. Yagami clutched at his missing limb and groaned in agony, managing to force out a pained thanks to Archangel in between grunts. "Shit, Kallen! Pass word to the ranks that it spits fire now!" Archangel yelled to Kallen over the angry roars of the serpent. Kallen nodded and raised her hands, beginning her cipher to the team C cipher man. She formed and moved her hands around in different formations that the young mop headed knight translated and passed onto his superriors. ' _New attack. Fire. Mouth. Times one injured. Times seven dead. Medicine needed. Retreat._ 'After a moment, Kallen could see one of the knights pointing as he shouted, two support knights ran to the location and began preparing healing items. "They have healers at the ready, Archangel! We'll have to distract it while we move Yagami to the rear!" Kallen informed as she shouted to her squad leader. Archangel peaked around the corner only to find the serpent's attention immediately return to them. "We need someone who is fast! Rosa and Toki! When I give the word, you two will run to that pillar! I will attract it once again before it has time to attack once more." He gestured to Kallen and Delroy with his off hand as he peaked around the corner once again only to return his gaze back to his cadre. "You two will take Yagami to the rear of the lines!" He pointed at Claudia and Briggs with a cold stare. "You two will watch for the priest and, should he notice us, you are to inform the squad right away!" Claudia and Briggs nodded with the confidence of soldiers and looked for the priest. It was easy to spot him due to the crashing debris and shower of pelting rubble. He was still engaged with Heathcliff who was doing well to hold him off, parrying his blows with his massive shield and swinging at him with precision and landing some blows to it's shoulders and legs. It seemed, however, unphased by this as it's first of two health bars was being chipped away. The red knight sweeped and dodged the flaming axe and had bashed against it's axe, proving the black flame can be blocked at the very least.

"Ready?" Archangel said as he looked around the corner with the mirror he had from Kayaba on the first day of the game. The serpent was blasting it's horrid flame at the helpless shield squad on the opposite of the room who were taking cover behind a pillar as well. Archangel shouted suddenly to the ready crowd, "Now!" Rosa and Toki sprinted out of the cover before the serpent as, just behind them, Heathcliff slammed against the wall and side stepped an attack from the priest. It was all going wrong. Claudia shouted to the squad, "He's here! At the ready!" The shield squad formed tightly together and readied themselves for a potential attack as they watched for the priest to change direction. Claudia looked over to see Archangel looking at the priest, not at Rosa. The serpent starred her down as the hiss of a sharp inhale was heard. Without a second thought, she screamed as she went into a full sprint toward Rosa and Toki who were but five meters from her. "Rosa! Toki! Drop now!" Rosa stopped and looked to see Claudia sprinting toward her screaming, "Toki! Shield wall!" In merely a few bounds, she lept over the kneeling Rosa, Toki still running. Archangel looked to the commotion as he stepped out to lure the serpent's attention again. It ignored him for it had two targets now. Claudia landed and slid to a stop, her kite shield propped against the floor, as she hid behind it. Rosa huddled behind her as the two of them barely fit behind the shield. "Fuck!" Archangel shouted in fury as he slammed his fist into the pillar, powerless to help them. The serpent's reared head unleashed it's deadly inferno into Toki who was nearly to the pillar, engulfing him in the black lick of flames that sent him screaming in pain like those before him, falling to the gound and exploding into a glimmer of red. Without stopping, the serpent turned it's gaze to the two who hid behind the shield. Rosa, shaking with fear, grabbed Claudia's hand while they both trembled in fear. Rosa looked at Claudia, "Chloe?" She asked. Claudia shouted back, "Stay close to me!" As the torrent of black flames slammed into the shield and blasted around it, forming a funnel of a hot darkness. Rosa and Claudia howled in anticipation that they may meet their demise. Slowly at first, the funnel dissipated and surviving the inferno were two girls clad in plate who stood at the first chance they had and sprinted back to the group of knights. "You stupid fucking sod! You could have been killed!" Archangel yelled as he grabbed the collar of her gorget. "But I'm glad you were not." He said as he slapped her shoulder. "Now we know we can get close again." Archangel released her and assembled with his cadre once again who all looked at Claudia in disbelief.

Briggs looked to the serpent through the reflection of the mirror. It's body coiled but it's head stared at the pillar with murderous intent. Archangel peaked as well and looked to the group B squad, waving his arm to get their attention. Once the cipher man in their squad had noticed his attention grabbing, he began forming the ciphers. ' _Block_ _attack. Fire. Shield wall. Use caution. Relay Information._ ' The cipher man nodded and began ciphering down the line of pillars to the shield squad to their rear. Archangel lifted his shield to his torso and bellowed his commands over the men and women before him. "We will form a shield wall and distract it's breath as an assault squad strikes from behind the line as this ass hole snake's breath is on a cool down." Briggs pulled his warhammer up and held his shield at the ready. "Who will hit this ass hole? We're stuck here, Archangel." He asked with concern on his face. Archangel scanned his troops and then the priest and the guild master who were locked in battle. Assisting Heathcliff was Uzula, Asuna, Kuradeel, and Godfree who were utilizing their agility to outmaneuver the impossibly quick mass of muscle that swung wildly, leaving trails of whispy black smoke that choked the lungs and burned the skin. The rear lines were consisting of mainly team C who defended their healers who were hard at work healing the injured and counting the dead. The assault groups of team A and B were hidden behind pillars or trying to help their leaders fight the priest. He looked across to the other shieldmen and saw they were still locked behind the pillars and were also attempting to form a plan of action. "Archangel! What's the plan?" Briggs asked as his concern grew. They were all woried sick from their situation. Every one of them were a pawn in this fight and they knew it. They knew they could die at any moment from this serpent and there would be nothing to stop it from happening. They knew and accepted that fate but they still were afraid to die. All but Archangel, it would seem. He seemed more concerned with the people under him and keeping them alive, regardless if he died or not. Archangel raised his gauntlet, halting their speech. "We will form a shield wall in a tetsudo formation. In the center will be a light hitter and three heavy hitters. Chloe, you will be our light hitter. Give your shield to Rosa." Claudi nodded and handed Rosa the shield. Rosa held it with her right hand and nearly toppled with it as she scrambled to get her other hand on it to support it's weight. "Briggs, Suzane, and I will be the heavy hitters." Archangel continued, Briggs and Suzane nodding. "The order will be as follows; Chloe will tripple strike it to the left, I will follow it with a heavy attack to the right, Suzane will hook it's jaw and knock it's head in the air, Briggs will charge a heavy downward attack as Suzane attacks and will slam it into the ground. While we attack, all in the line are to progress forward and attack this fucking snake. Any questions?" Archangel concluded as he stood with his hand resting on his sword. The squad shook their heads and stood at the rready for Archangel's command. Archangel waved over to the second shield squad that was down half their men. The serpent was too late to spot the eight knights runing over to their group. Archangel stepped to their leader, a thin and flaxen haired woman who wielded a mace and shield. Claudia was unable to hear them but she knew he was briefing them on the plan. All heard the command of Archangel as his voice boomed through the room. Team C and Team B knights who were pinned down or guarding support members looked on as the two squads formed a mass of shields where twenty-one knights marched into the black inferno, practically untouchable by the serpent's flames. "Tighten formation! Keep moving!" Archangel commanded from within the circle of knights who shielded the sides as he and the others he designated to attack shielded the top of the formation, protecting it from the black jet of flames that screamed over them. It was hot like before, a heat that would not last forever. Claudia knew this, Rosa knew this, every other person who witnessed the attack she blocked earlier knew this and they were prepared.

The onslaught of flames trickled to a stop and the beast roared terribly as if it knew it was going to, as Delroy would say, _get it's shit kicked in_. "Now, Chloe!" Archangel cried as the shields guarding the top of the tetsudo parted, revealing the knights inside. Bounding off of Briggs, Claudia lept into the air with a pirouette as her sword's tip whistled through the stale air. With two clangs of ringing steel, she followed through the first attack with a second as she used the momentum from the first. The serpent's head was knocked to the left of Claudia as she landed on the ground, back stepping to the formation once more as Archangel soared above her with another clang, much heavier this time and only one, the monstrosity roared horridly as it's head was thrown in the opposite direction. Returning to the formation as well, next came Suzane who flew with fury and roarded with maniacal laughter as her halberd connected with it's jaw, contorting it's now limp and tired neck upward as the creature was dazed. A roar from above them came screaming as Briggs, who was already airborne and charging an attack, descended with his mighty warhammer and connected with an ear piercing crack. The serpent began to scream only to be silenced by the impact of the head of the hammer, it's jaw slamming into the stone with an explosion that sent fragments of tile across the room, a portion of it's skull shattering on the impact zone. Briggs, seeing the aftermath of Rosa's sword, removed his hammer before the black flames could engulf it as well. The shield squad retreated as a whole as the serpent screached with livid energy, causing the squad to cringe in pain. The group observed as the health bar for the boss dropped significantly as a result of their efforts. "Keep the pressure on!" Archangel commanded as he pressed forward for an overhand slash on the beast's dazed head. It was either courage or fear that compelled them but it was synonymous, the group's actions, that they battered the beast's head with a barrage of attacks. The knights, standing their ground, coordinated with professional and precise movements as they chipped away at the serpent's health. As the beast powered through the blitz, it began it's terrible hiss. That was, until Suzane and Briggs coordinated an attack on each side of it's head, crushing it between the weaight of their attack. A crushing blow to it's hit points, the creature's bar lowered to it's final bar. "Fall back and regroup!" Archangel hollered as he bounded back to the squad. "It should change it's fight pattern now!" He continued, gripping his sword and snaking it to a high guard against his shield.

The serpent composed itself and coiled as it shrieked, it's empty eyes fixed on Archangel and head unmoving. It opened it's mouth slowly and silently as a flash of white and black protruded toward Archangel who barely managed to deflect the attack, the sheer impact of the force toppling him over and throwing him into the wall some ten meters to their left. Claudia turned her head back to the serpent and saw what had come out of it's mouth was it's tail! It had somehow coiled it's tail backwards and through it's mouth, using it like a lance. Archangel staggered to his feet and looked to the priest who was locked in close combat with the leader and sub-leaders, the stragglers having backed off to heal. The current health bar was nearing it's end as Heathcliff and Godfree group parried while Asuna and Uzula followed through with a coordinated strike, most being only barely parried. Archangel looked back to the shield squads and gritted his teeth as he stood back up with ffrustration. The serpent coiled it's body out with a single fluid motion and, without warning, whipped it's tail outward towards the group in a sweeping motion. Briggs was the first to take notice as he shouted, "Jump now!" as he began his leap over the sweeping tail. The ones who were lighter on their feet, over half including Rosa and Claudia, managed to leap over the wall of flames coming at them and increasing speed. The others managed to raise their shields and take the brunt of the strike, sending them tumbling across the floor at velocity but alive and, for the most part, well. _What else does it have up it's sleeves?_ Claudia thought as her feet planted against the stone with a slight fumble, barely managing to keep her footing. Rosa stood still weaponless as she looked around the room, anxious for something to defend herself with. The shield she once carried, Claudia's shield with the Steiner family coat of arms painted on it, lying on the floor where she had dropped it when the sweeping attack had come. Claudia took notice and, without hesitation, tossed her sword to her and bolted for her shield as the serpent hissed. Claudia rolled in a somersault, landing ontop of her shield and grabbing it mid roll, planting herself with her shield raised toward the serpent whose hiss had ceased. Claudia knew what this mean and braced as her stomach sank. The serpent reared it's massive head as Claudia braced for a second tunnel of inferno, contemplating her odds of surviving it a second time. As the serpent's black flame boiled and danced in the back of it's head, it was interrupted by a familiar flash of a weapon. Or was it? No, it was Kallen herself who smashed into the beast's head with her mace, effectively smiting it into tthe ground with a mighty crash and explosion of dust that obscurred her vision of her savior. Rosa and Suuki rushed to her side and picked her up, Rosa yelling, "Are you trying to die?! That shield can't pissibly be worth more than your life!" as they hurried to the cover of the pillars. Claudia did not answer but lowered her head, not in shame, but in recognition of their worries. She knew that they were aware of her reasons and the true value of said shield to her. Suuki stood silent but frought with worry in her eyes as she did not wish to interfere with Rosa and Claudia who were now locked in a stare. They did not have to speak, their eyes said it all. The worry, the frustration, the fear, and the compassion for eachother as friends... no, perhaps something more? Something stronger than friendship.

Suuki's head turned violently, Claudia noticed, as she screamed to them while jumping backwards in desperation. From the corner of her eye, she saw a mass of black approaching fast. Pulling Rosa into her embrace, she deaperately raised her shield to block the fast approaching attack. Wrapping around the pillar was the tail of the serpent as it slammed into her, crushing her and Rosa against the pillar and nearly setting her ablaze. They both screamed in agony as the torrent tore across the pillar wall and diverted course to Suuki who expertly dodged the incoming barrage of whipping attacks. Claudia, still trying to catch her breath, cried to Rosa who was still howling in pain, "Rosa? Are you alright, Rosa!?" Claudia winced in pain as she looked down, seeing her friend's legs covered from the calves down in black flames and her own leg becoming engulfed. She pushed Rosa off of her, trembling with adrenaline as she ripped the sword from her hand and sliced both of her legs off in a messy series of chops before pulling her away from her burning legs. Her foot up to her ankle was engulfed as the pain began to grow unbearable, Claudia also howling in pain, as she cut her own leg off with a savage cry in desperation while collapsing on the ground. Rosa, in shock, screamed in panic as she writhed in pain and disbelief. Suuki saw the two and hurled herself over the tail of the serpent that attempted to impale her on it's bony pike of a tail. "What the- what happened?!" She cried in a panic as she approached. "Take her! Go!" Claudia screamed at her in a savage fury. Startled, Suuki nodded and picked up Rosa, pulling her onto her back as Rosa's arms wrapped around her neck. Suuki began running back, bobbing and weaving to avoid the serpent's attack. Claudia hobbled to her foot, balancing on it with sword and shield in hand as she watched them run with worry. From the right, she heard the hiss and lurking head of the serpent as it floated between the pillar and wall. She saw it's maw open slightly as it prepared a jet of flames. Claudia reared her leg and, with all the energy she could muster, lept into the beast's head with her shield with force, cracking it's head against the stone walls and reducing it's health immensely. It screached terribly and coiled backward in pain, writhing as it floated midair. Claudia landed hard against the stone on her back with an audible _thud_ as she wheezed. She lifted herself with great effort as she tried to scoot backwards to the cover of the pillar before she was roasted alive. In doing so, she noticed one of the torches that burned white flames in the brasier had been knocked to the ground. _It's the serpent's weakness! The white flames harm the thing!_ Claudia thought as she dragged herself backwards with rejuvinated hope, the forlorn feeling that was approching her now receding. Suuki ran to her as the serpent shook violently and composed itself but was now distracted by Kallen and Archangel's brutal efforts against it. Suuki reached down and grabbed her hand that wielded the sword, pulling it over her shoulder and supporting her to stand. The two moved quickly, Claudia hopping in great strides and not worring about loss of ballance, when moving to the back of the line with team C. A lightly armored member ran to them and questioned Suuki, "Another one? Bring her to the end there! He instructed as he gestured to an open spot by the entrance that was blocked off until the fight was complete. Sitting her down, they gave her their instructions, "Your limb will regenerate back after about an hour after combat so don't panic. Take out your healing crystal and begin treating your critical wounds now. Also keep your teleport crystal ready in the event that something goes wrong." Claudia nodded and looked over to Rosa who was sitting quietly some five meters to her left and watching the fight. Claudia smiled in knowing that, for now, she was safe. She sat and recalled the events of her smashing the serpent into the white flames. She recalled how the beast screached in pain in response. _How do we weaponize that? Do we throw it? Push it into them?_ She thought as she watched the best they had facing off against the mammoth of a humanoid known as Paptyhiljädge whose axe was swinging wildly and spreading the toxic smoke in whispy clouds. She grabbed the arm of a passing by knight, "Grab me one of those torches! I don't care how ypu do it, get me it now!" She demanded as he was insulted by her tone ans arrogance at first, realized she was certainly serious and nodded. Rosa stared across the crowd to Claudia who was pointing and commanding the knights to boost one of them into the air in order to retrieve the torch, it's white flame dancing and casting shadows across the surface of the stone wall. After two attepts, a small knight was tossed into the air and managed to get ahold of the torch, removing it from the brasier. Catching him, he hopped off of his team members and handed Claudia the torch with an anxious smile. Claudia smiled and nodded before commanding, "get back, I need to see if this works!" The crowd gave her room as she drew her sword and held it to the torch. Just like the priest's axe, the flame engulfed the sword! Now covered in a white flame up to the crossguard, she swung it a few times to see if the flame would die. Just as she hypothesized, the white flame had to be the weakness! The crowd stared in awe as Claudia laughed triumphantly, her hands shaking in fear of the possible consequences she could have faced had this been incorrect. She handed the torch to the knight she had commanded moments before and said, "Get this to Heathcliff and the subleaders right away! Just as I did it, tell them how!" He nodded and turned to run before Claudia grabbed his wrist, "And don't die, okay?" The young knight swalloed hard and nodded before he trotted away, plates clanking loudly against one another. Claudia looked to the others with a questioned look, "What are you waiting for? Go get more, get some runners, and equip the guild!" She instructed with the face of a scholar who was just told a nonsensical joke. One questioned, the boy who had grabbed the torch. "How do you know it will work?" Claudia hopped onto her one foot and grabbed his collar, pulling his face close to hers, "Because that ugly fucker that torched my friend and my legs was hurt by that fire. It's a game of opposites, kid. Black fire: the darkness. We wield the white fire: the light and illuminates the dark! It's a game at the end of the day, isn't it? Everything has a purpose here, use it!" She said in whispers with the sting of venom in her voice before lightly pushing him away and allowing herself to fall to the ground where she once sat. "Now... off you go before we all die here, please." Claudia said with a hideous smile. Visibly angry, the boy knew she was right and hated that. He stowed his anger and rejoined the group.

In the skirmish with the priest, the runner approached Heatchliff and called to him. Without looking or dropping his guard, he lept backwards towards the runner allowing Godfree and Asuna continue the onslaught. "What is it?" He extended the torch to him and explained, "Light your sword with it! A member of team A told me to pass it on after she discovered it! It's a weapon buff!" Heathcliff looked to ths black inferno on the priest's axe, "It's a game of light and dark. I see." He stated as he grabbed the torch and motioned him to return. Turning toward the priest once again, he lit his sword ablaze and shouted, "Godfree, follow suit and pass it on!" as he tossed the torch to him. The massive mass of robes and muscle stared at Heathcliff as his whispers began mumbling about 'the clensing flames' and a 'holy fire'. Heathcliff smiled as he raised his sword against his shield and readied himself for the third skirmish. The four remaining knights that accompanied him, Uzula, Kuradeel, Godfree, and Asuna, also stood at the ready with a white flame dancing on their blades that were held at the ready. The priest changed his poise, pointing his axe directly at Heathcliff and stood his ground. Meanwhile, the support had managed to deliver the torches to the shield lines who were standing their surviving but were being pushed back steadily towards the back lines. Archangel, without a second of hesitation, engulfed his sword and passed the torch onto the next man. Soon, all if their blades were coated in a surreal white fire that blazed quietly upon their steel. "Tetsudo once more! Suzane will lead a diverson attack on it's side!" Archangel commanded to his detail, his helmet sweeping them in hopes of getting an idea of their condidtion. "How are we going to hit that thing? It's body will kill us!" Nadako shouted, his hair shuffled into his eyes as his head shook from his yelling. He brushed it out of his vision with his hand and, trying to look courageous, puffed his chest out with his shield raised. The shield looked much too large fpr him but, somehow, he managed to handle it efficiently. "Only those with long weapons will attack the flank! Briggs, Suzane, Myself, and Corvus will deal with the flank! The rest are to button up tight! Keep in mind, we are down some people!" Archangel concluded as he and his flanking team huddled on the left side of the pillar. The right side, being led by Kallen In the front whose voice could be heard from where Claudia sat, perhaps fifteen meters away. Yet another shrill cry as the beast recognized the tactic and began hissing. The shield group braced and tightened their wall of locked shields. The serpent coiled it's head and preparred to torch the group of knights. It stopped suddenly and snapped it's head to the side, spotting the flank group. They barely managed to raise their shields in time, slumping to the ground and hiding behind them as the blast hit their fortress of shields, the temperature raising steadily as the possibility of being baked alive became more a reality by the second. Kallen stepped out of the line, revealing the two torches that were brought to the group, and shouted, "Hey you ugly fuck!" Her voice backed by a furious growl. The colorful haired girl droooed her sword, reared her arm, and readied a throw. The blast stopped as it snarled and turned it's head, seeing the young woman who held a shield and nothing else. It hissed and opened it's jaws, ready to incinerate it's target. Kallen, revraling the torches from behind her raised, threw them as hard as she could into the serpent's mouth. Expecting it to fall to the ground through the black flames that made up it's body, it instead floated inside it's throuat as the beast shrieked in pain, rolling midair as it wriled about in what seemed to be the worst pain it had ever felt in it's existence. Powering through the deafening shriek, Archangel stood and readied an attack once he saw an oppening on it's wild and unpredictable body. Suzane, Briggs, and Corvus joined the formation. Without a word, Archangel struck fast and true, the others following suit with speed. Suzane managed the final blow, killing the beast with a single and heavy blow. With a terrible screach, it coiled into the air and exploded in a white fireball that turned to red digital fragments.

The priest turned his head and ghasped, the whispers chanting, "My pet, you've killed her. You've killed her. You've killed her..." The whispers repeated endlessly as they grey louder, angrier, more intense. It reared it's weapon over it's head, swung it around wildly, and lashed out with a fury-filled cry. It struck the ground next to Heathcliff who barely managed to avoid the blow, tumbling over himself as he tried to regain his composure. He stood up, not taking the time to brush the fragments of stone off his armor. Asuna raised her rapier and hand, readying herself for an attack on the priest whose gaze pierced through her. It raised it's axe towards her, the black flames bristling forward to it's head. Asuna's expression changed from determination to stark realization as she adjusted her footing. Her instincts were correct, the lightfooted girl dashed to the side, narrowly missing a bolt of fire that passed her at impossible speed like a bullet. The time between it leaving the axe and hitting the wall some twenty meters away was near instant as a smoldering black hole was all that remained of the stone bricks. Asuna looked at the aftermath and back to the priest with axiety on her face as the whispers chanting rang in their ears. "You killed her! You killed her!" Godfree readied his sword alongside Kuradeel and gave Asuna a nod. Heathcliff, retaining his composure, rejoined the fight, the look of calm neutrality in hi eyes replaced with malice. As Heathcliff made his move, bringing his hand in for a backhanded strike to follow with a cross cut, Godfree and Kuradeel attacked from behind at it's legs. They nearly collided with Heathcliff's blade as they barely managed to stop as they watched the priest jump over them and land behind their position. They turned their attention back to the priest who had already aimed his axe toward them. Kuradeel and Godfree split as the crack pierced the air and split their ears, the bolt flying straight for the back lines where the injured were resting, incapacitated and vunerable. Without a second wasted, Heathcliff raised his shield instead of moving as the crack sounded. It connected with his shield that was at a slight angle, glancing off of it and diverting to the ceiling behind Heathcliff who stood his ground against the incredible force of the shot. Heathcliff lowered his shield with a look as though he had just been shot by a rifle and survived. The backlines began cheering him on, quietly at first but gradually more joined to support their leader. The shield squads that had defeated the serpent also stood by and provided their support, dispite their losses. Phrases like, "Strike that thing down!" and "You've got this!" echoed in the lines. Asuna, Uzusa, and Godfree all seemed more confident as they changed poise. Heathcliff and Kuradeel, however, seemed to ignore them and remained focused on the priest.

Godfree and Kuradeel struck in tandem of one another at it's legs as it lept into the air as expected. Asuna chased after it, rapier already following through with an attack as it flew to it's crest. It connected with immense force, stabbing it through the chest halfway down the blade. She kicked off of it's chest with a spin, withdrew ber blade, and used the momentum from the piuroette to slash it downward toward the ground. The priest attempted to roll off it's back as it fell, only to meet with Heathcliff's sword on the way down. It slammed into the ground, crushing floor tiles and creating a cloud of dust. Immediately, Kuradeel, Godfree, and Uzusa struck it's limbs and crippled it's ability to move, if only just for a moment. Asuna allowed gravity to carry her to her target, her sword at the ready as she guided herself to it's head. All at once, the pained wails and chanting of whispers stopped as Asuna, like a flash, had her rapier buried in it's head to the hilt. She sighed in relief as the health bar drained completely from the final boss of the floor. It exploded in a glimmer of red digital fragments and disappeared as the words 'dungeon cleared' appeared across their view. Claudia watched as the white flame on the swords fluttered and went out, leaving only the remaining torches to light the room. It was significantly darker as the light turned from white to orange once again. Claudia hobbled to her foot and stuck her sword in the ground, using it like a cane, as she hopped over to Rosa who laid on her back laughing to herself with her eyes closed. The sound of a foot stomping and the ringing of steel striking the ground alerted Rosa. She looked at Claudia and laughed as she shook her head. "What?" Claudia asked to her laughter, smilimg curiously and confused. "Cap'n!" Rosa said in a gruff and exagerrated voice, "They took me legs cap'n! We'll have to get peg legs now!" Claudia put her hand on her hip, "You have the worst timing for humor." Rosa nodded, "Hey Chloe..." Claudia looked to her legless friend expectantly, "It seems in your time of delegating everyone to do your bidding, you forgot to heal yourself. You're at an eighth health, you know?" Rosa informed her, a look of confused amusement on her face. "Eh?!" Claudia had been so preoccupied by the heat of the moment that she had failed to notice her heath bar was in the red and the low health alarm was sounding. She opened her inventory to retrieve it and remembered, with a sigh of frustration, she had left it with her shield where she once sat. "Shit." "Left it over at your spot?" "Yep." "Go get it." She turned, hopping about on her remaining foot, and began her trek back while saying, "I'm going, I'm going... sheesh." with a sarcastic tone.

By the time she returned to Rosa, her squad was already with her friend and talking about the loot they got. "Ah, here she is. Alright, pick them up." Godfree said, grabbing the attention of the squad. Archangel gestured to Briggs and Kallen who approached the incapacitated girls. Kallen pulled Rosa on her back as Briggs lifted Claudia to his. "Wait, what? What's going on?" Claudia asked as she was being lifted. "You and Rosa need to grab your loot from the drop." Claudia said nothing and just enjoyed the ride. She observed the aftermath and the enviroment destruction. She had never seen a dungeon where the boss was able to destroy the terrain before. She also remembered the people they lost today. It was. hard fight, debating deep down inside herself if it was truly worth losing that many. _Of course it was!_ Her mind screamed. _One more step to freedom has been made! Another dungeon out of their way._ She nodded to herself, content with the settlement of her internal issue. They arrived at the drop as a drop down menu appeared before her. She read the items she recieved; six rare alloys, fourty-thousand gold, and three healing crystals. Claudia sighed, "Why do I always get ripped off? This game hates me, I swear." Briggs turned his head to see her menu amd laughed, "Maybe it does. Or maybe it's trying to tell you to heal?" Claudia growled in frustration and opened her menu, pulling out one of her healing crystals, and activated it. Kallen with Rosa on her back approached twenty meters away, Rosa calling out, "Chloe! Get anything cool?" "I got a rock!" She called back. "Quit joking around and tell me!" Rosa called back, laughing. "I'm not joking. I got alloys and healing crystals." The laughter grew hysterical a she yelled out, "She really did just get rocks?! Holy shit!" Claudia could hear Kallen laughing at her alongside Rosa. "Oh yeah? What did _you_ get?" "My sword back for starters! It now has a special effect for being forged in hellfire! Paralysis to weak opponents!" Rosa yelled. Claudia's jaw dropped as she she said to herself, "No fair, the little shit." "What was that?!" Rosa shouted. "I said, what else did you get?" Claudia lied as they approached on another atop their squad leaders. "Well I also got a couple obsidian pieces. I have no idea what they're for though." Claudia shrugged and observed Rosa's sword whose blade was now black instead of silver. Briggs spoke to Kallen, "Let's get back to the others and get ready to leave." She nodded and paired with him as they waked. Their squad waited for them and ready to leave to the exit that was hidden in the exploded sarcophagus. Claudia noticed the three that were left behind at the dungeon entrance also were there and ready to move. Suzane approached with a new halberd in hand, spouting at the four of them, "About time, let's get going! Team B already left!" Archangel walked passed her toward the exit, the others following behind. "Hey! Wait up, Delroy!" She said, completely forgetting about the four of them and joined the group. "Anything you forgot?" Briggs asked Rosa and Claudia. "Nope." replied the two in unison. "Man, I should've just walked out instead of come back." Briggs said jokingly as he pivoted on his heel and toe, facing about and joining the tail end of their squad. Kallen joined Briggs on his right and walked in step, each of them carrying a temporarily crippled girl.

The team walked down into the rubble of the sarcophagus that concealed a passage inside presumably leading to the exit of the dungeon and out to the twenty-fourth floor. They weaved through narrow hallways and climbed what seemed like an endless number of steps before they reached their destination. A large iron door, maybe three meters by a meter, stood in the way of their progress. Team B stood next to the door patiently as they awaited the rest of the guild to join them. Heathcliff stood before the door facing them, his hand on his belt as he waited patiently. It took a mere two minutes before the entirety of the guild, a solid fourty or so now, were standing before him and awaiting an address. Heathcliff let out a long sigh before speaking.

"The journey to this floor has been fraught with many issues. The last boss was tough, we all know that, but there were plenty of rookie mistakes that were made and it cost us some lives as a result. I don't blame anyone here for what happened or for who we lost, I want you to know that. Dispite our shortcomings as teams, we still cleared the room with help of their sacrifices. That is why we will wait here and hold a moment of silence for those we lost." Heathcliff, followed by the other loyal knights, bowed his head and closed his eyes. Claudia closed her eyes and could only see Toki burning alive. His screams, his forlorn attempts at putting the flame out, and the blast of flames that engulfed her and Rosa in a dark heat. She gritted her teeth as the events of the day finally were catching up to her. She shook her head violently to dissuade her mind from emotional reaction. After all, she managed to save one of them and her best friend at that. Three times, in fact, three times she saved her friend. She felt a warm feeling as she looked at her legless friend who still held her eyes shut and smiled. It may have been a been a loss for some but Rosa was wrong. This wasn't her last fight and Claudia was glad shebwas wrong. Heathcliff's sudden words snapped her out of it as his voice sounded louder than usual over the silent knights. "Thank you all. Now, without further deviation, let's head to Panareze. Stick to the bridge, the waters may have monsters in it." He removed a key from his inventory and slid it into the hole on the door. Turning it, a heavy 'clunk' was heard in the mechanism. He gave the door a heavy push and revealed a cave, water dripping from stalactites that hung to the floor. They stepped onto the moist rock and began walking down the single path, clanking armor echoeing through the cave in all directions. The path weaved and winded but it did not take long for them to find it's mouth. The entire guild exited onto the patchy grass that turned lush some five meters from the mouth as ghasps were hear from nearly all, Claudia and Rosa included.

Floor twenty four was a lush cluster of islands and ilses that dotted an immense and seemingly endless body of water, all interconnected by floating bridges. Claudia smiled and breathed in, inhaling the scent of summer and sea salt as the wind blew her hair about pleasantly. Heathcliff began walking and shouted back to the distracted guild, "There will be plenty of time to appreciate this place on the way, let's go." He motioned with his hand and a warm and honest smile. This was strange for Claudia to see. All her time in the guild and never once did she recall Heathcliff smiling the way he did just then. She thought it strange but pleasant. Descending down the dirt trail, they marched to a long bridge that led to an island with a circular wall around it's perimeter. Above flew beautiful songbirds and gulls that gave the place a very alive feel. Their journey across the bridge took a half hour but it felt like mere minutes to Claudia who was enjoying the view. They entered into the gates as Heathcliff spoke to NPC's. Asuna began commanding to the guild, "All those carrying wounded, if you would please follow me! We are going back to the guild hall via the teleporter here in town!" Briggs and Kallen were then soon accompanied by two others who also were missing limbs and could not walk. Yagami also joined them with another girl who was missing both arms at the elbows. Though unable to interact with anything, she seemed to be in high spirit. She and Yagami chatted and seemed to be interested in one another. Claudia didn't dwell and turned to Rosa to chat with her only to find her friend fast asleep on Kallen's back. Claudia shook her head and looked forward once more. The teleport portal was exactly like the one they used before, blue energy emitting from it as they approached. Floating above it were the words, 'Panareze teleporter unlocked', as Asuna approached it. They stepped onto the pad and selected their desired destination: floor one, Town of New Beginnings. The flash of blueish white once more and then the orange sky of dusk as players passing by saw Asuna with players missing limbs in tow. "What happened?" A player asked clad in light armor. Asuna smiled and replied, "The Knights of the Bload Oath have just cleared floor twenty-three." The player's face lit up with a smile and laughed as he turned to run, shouting to anyone who would listen, "The Blood Oath just cleared floor twenty-three!" Asuna turned toward them, smiled, and shook her head. "It's moments like that that remind me what's at stake. If only everyone was as happy as that guy." She chuckled as they began walking.

Twenty minutes of walking later, the broken bodied knights arrived to their destination. The large building they called home, their guild hall whose red stain windows and banners flew gently in the evening breeze, standing like a beacon on the path through the courtyard. "Home, sweet home." Briggs said as he inhaled the aroma of the rose bushes in blume. Kallen quickly retorted, "Sure wish floor twenty-four was home..." She rolled her eyes and had a hint of dissapointment in her voice. They pushed open one of the heavy wood doors, it's hinges creaking and sqeaking, before stepping into the entry. A red glow lit their way from the stain as they turned right and ascended the stairs, the creaking of bending wood piercing the silent air of the vacant hall. Kallen stopped at Rosa's room as Yagami walked into his. The other two were not with them, Claudia noticed, and assumed they turmed left instead of accompanied them right. "Hold on, I'd like to be put in Claudia's room instead." Rosa protested which did not fall on deaf ears as Kallen turned and followed Briggs to the second door to the right. Claudia's room was just the way she had left it that morning. Briggs and Kallen sat the girls down on Claudia's bed and left without so much as a parting words. Soon it was only the two girls lying next to one another, the golden light peering through the drapes. "Jeez, I could sleep for a week." Rosa sighed in exhaustion as she stretched. Claudia laid on her back and opened her menu, scrolling to her friends list. She scrolled down to 'Dornia' and selected 'semd message'. She began typing out her message. _Namira, it's Kiu. I hope you get this messahe and respon as soon as you can._ She selected send where an error message halted it's progress. _The player you are trying to message is unavailable._ She sighed, closed her message menu, and unequipped her armor before drifting off to sleep with Namira in her final concious thoughts.

[End of chapter three. Expect chapter four at the end of Februrary to March. Thanks for reading]


	3. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Where The Deadly Dance

"Watch out! Back step!" Dauntless shouted, Dornia following the command blindly as a tentacle whipped to where she was just standing and narrowly missed her right ankle. The kayran's ugly maw snapped as venom rolled out in viscous globs, the folds that surrounded it's teeth quivering in anticipation of it's next meal. Dornia planted her feet, her hips facing her target, and waited for it to perform it's predictable attack of lashing out at her extremedies. She lowered her sword and stood her ground as Dauntless stood further back, waiting for her opening. The heavy tentacle flew at her, kicking up dust as it picked up speed. Timing it perfectly, Dornia spun over the appendage, slicing it off with a nimble and smooth strike, and landing on the ground with a slight slide on the loose dirt and mud. The kayran shrieked terribly as one of it's limbs fell to the ground and exploded into red digital fragments, dissipating with the wind. As if throwing a tantrum, it's tentacles thrashed about and slammed into anything in it's way. "Now!" Dornia shouted to her partner as she closed the distance, Dauntless close behind her. The two swords pierced with precision into the beast's abdomen, just below the flaps that were outspread and bearing hook like teeth at the end of each stretch of webbed skin. In unison, the girls yelled as they dragged their swords in opposite directions whilst running, creating a long and deep would to the monster. Removing their swords, they bounded back to their original positions and observed the health bar enter the red but not diminish completely. "Fucker is tough, isn't he?" Dauntless said with a laugh, breathing hard to catch her breath. "Agreed. We almost have it, don't get cocky." Dornia replied in a much colder tone. She gripped her sword and rotated the blade toward her opponent who stood five or six meters tall in body alone. Dornia gritted her teeth in anticipation for another attack from her side but it was not so predictable this time. It extended it's tentacles straight in the air and let gravity do it's work for it. "Really?" Dornia muttered to herself as she lowered her sword. The limbs began their decent as they gained speed to the point where stopping them would be impossible. Dornia jumped to the side, exiting the area of danger, and ran to the kayran once more. Dauntless, more focused on leaping away from the giant tentacles, did not approach with Dornia. Dornia lept onto the tentacle and ran along it's half meter wide girth and climbed it's head before savagely and repeatedly stabbing the top of it's head. It shrieked as the health bar fully depleted this time and the kayran fell limp, defeated. Dornia fell to the ground, tumbling over herself, as the monster exploded into a shimmering red cloud and vanished just as the severed tentacle did. She pulled herself off the ground and dusted herself off, coughing from the cloud of dust she created. Dauntless approached, clapping and smiling, " Bravo, Fer De Lance, Bravo. Encore! Encore!" Dornia stretched and stood up straigh before replying to her sarcasm, "I'll show _you_. an encore in a minute." She chuckled as she navigated her menu to the quest tabs. Next to a quest titled 'The Swamp Reaches Out' was a banner that read, 'completed'. The two filtered through the various loots, dropping useless items for crafting items they had no use for. "Right, let's get back to town. C'mon blondie." Dauntless yawned as she stretched her arms over her head.

The mud of the damp earth was patchy among puddles left from high tide on the shore of the small lake, the higher ground being far more dry as it baked in the afternoon sun. It was warm in the marsh. Warm but very humid. The squelching of mud was the only sound that overpowered the sound of plates clanking on the lightly armored women as they walked through the terrain with ease, the deepest they sunk being their ankles. Floor thirteen was much akin to most early floors, grasslands and hills with small bodies of water dotting the landscape and marshes surrounding the lower lands. It was easy to traverse and made travel off the path risky but still efficient instead of taking a meandering road through random farms along the way whose vendors have not a single worthwhile item unless you sell it to them. That is assuming they even have the coin to pay for it and often times, they do not. Dornia looked at her feet as they strode through the knee high grass that blew gently with the breeze, swaying with the other stalks that stretched as far as they could see in nearly all directions. _How long has it been? Two weeks? Maybe... Or perhaps three? I can't recall when we left._ "I know that look, blondie. What'cha thinkin' about?" Dauntless pressed as she walked beside her, arms behind her back and a narrow stare with a sly smile. Her strode was unnatural as bounced with each step, waiting impatiently for an answer. "Just thinking..." Dornia said quietly as she continued to ponder. Dauntless groaned, "Ugh! I know that. About what? Details, give em' to me! Shoot!" She exclaimed in a chipper mood. "I've... we've been so busy travelling, performing, training... I'm just trying to recall how long we've been gone. I gave up on counting days a while ago so why start now?" Dornia shrugged before putting her hand on her belt. "Is that all? We left sixteen days ago, you dork. And here I though you had something spicy to say?" "Spicy?" Dornia asked with confusion. "You know, like when something is interesting or cool? Alternatively it could mean the opposite too, I guess. Like sick or bad, I suppose." Dauntless shrugged as she whipped around, her cloak being flung back by the wind and soaring for a moment in a surreal and picturesque fashion. Dornia shook her head, unable to hide her smile, "And you call _me_. the dork?" Dauntless only laughed heartily as she pulled out her lute and began plucking at the strings to the tempo of their step. _Never a dull moment with her around, is there?_ Dornia thought as she looked forward, following behind her partner. The melody was irregular, messy, and yet intoxicating as she skipped and danced to the tune, the two singing,

" _Everybody's talkin' bout white ales, brown ales, laggers, pilsners, stouts and whiskeys, pingers, swingers, vodka ringers, ledeblelel"_ Their tongues rolling as their words turned to jumbled nonsense to the rythm while Dornia slapped her hands on her plate skirt, the harsh clanking of steel serving as their drum.

The two sung in unison the chorus " _All we are saying... Is give booze a chance!_

 _All we are saying…. Is give booze a chance!_ "Dauntless skipped and hopped on one foot in a circle as they stepped onto the well hidden road among the stalks of tall grass. Her heels stamping about as she danced onto the cobblestone path with Dornia, still slapping her armor, danced behind her.

Dauntless leaned into Dornia's shoulder as the two sang their next verse, " _Everybody's drinkin up vodka, brandy and wine, rum and cola, cherry absinthe, all binged bitter aaand in-e-briated!_ " Dornia continued with her in song as she peaked behind her, making sure they were not being followed. All the while, they once again sang the chorus,

" _All we are saying... Is give booze a chance! All we are saying…. Is give booze a chance!_ " Dauntless cut her chorus short as she diddled her lute strings into an energetic, but just as chaotic, solo. Dornia began to clap her hands as the lute player skipped and spun to the clambering tempo. Once she returned to her normal, if one could call it that, rhythm of plucking that sounded akin to an amateur performance. Something that Dauntless was certainly not. She looked to Dornia with an ushering look, signifying her desire for her blonde companion to sing the final verse.

" _Everybody's stumblin, fallin, tripping and rolling over, the ground's a-swayin and the boys are sayin,_ " She sang with a deep and slurred voice as if she were very drunk, a large smile on her face. The two exploded into chorus a final time, their voices booming with enthusiasm,

"All we are saying... Is give booze a chance! All we are saying…. Is give booze a chance!" The two erupted into laughter as Dauntless drew the lute chords to a cease, ending with a rapid strumming as she raised the neck of the lute to her head and ending the notes suddenly. Dornia slapped her shoulder as she laughed, hunched over and trying not to topple over herself, "You are ridiculous, you know that?" She laughed. "Not as much as you are! You look bipolar with how you act in combat in comparison of right now!" Dauntless laughed as she slung her lute onto her back, opened her inventory, and pulled a wine skin out. She laughed as she pressed the opening to her lips, nearly choking on the crimson liquid that poured from it. She wiped her mouth with the back of her bracer and offered the skin to Dornia who snatched it, drank from it greedily, and handed it back to her partner, mumbling, "Thanks." in between giggles. "You aren't going to become an alcoholic, are you?" Dauntless teasingly asked before taking another swig. "Sure hope not." She said, still giggling as she felt the warmth of the booze spread through her gut. Dornia continued, "So how much are we getting from this job again?" Dauntless extended the skin to her again, Dornia accepting it with a far more civilized swig this time as she listened to Dauntless speak, "Four thousand five hundred I think? Plus bonus for the time taken. We completed it in less than two hours so I am pretty sure it's more like five thousand now." She accepted her skin back and took a drink, the two walking side by side along the path toward a wall of wood on the horizon that was only visible at the crest of the gently rolling hills. "Whose turn is it again?" Dornia asked Dauntless as she looked to the sky, the sun's setting glow turning the horizon a lovely golden color. "Your turn, blondie. I did it last time." She replied with a smile, admiring the same view. Dornia, seemingly not bothered, nodded with a smile as the wind fluttered her stray bangs across her face. She brushed them aside and walked with her hands behind her back, pressing nearly the entire freely flowing cape to her back.

On the two walked for twenty minutes or so before ascending a gradual grade through the large wooden gates of a town whose sign read 'Pale Oak'. _A curious name for a town in an area lacking trees._ Dornia thought to herself as they passed through the arching portal. The buildings of the town were wooden, built on platforms over earth, the elevation of the buildings ascending and descending with the curvature of the hill it was but upon. They stepped onto a porch of a larger building, the sign of which was that of a large and scrawny bird with teeth who blew flames on a flagon. Below it read 'The Cockatrice Inn'. Dauntless pushed open the door, the wood creaking beneath them as they stepped inside the dimly lit room. Dispite the darkness, the room was far from empty. At least fifteen players were inside enjoying their purchases. Some were rowdy, some kept to themselves. Two in particular stood in the back and chatted, their player icons being orange instead of green. They sat at the small counter and nodded a greeting to the barkeep who, unlike the sleeping guardsman, was manned by an NPC who wore rather drab clothing. Dornia held up two fingers and said, "Red wine." To which the barkeep nodded with a smile and displayed a trade window for the value of twenty gold for the two drinks. Dornia, without looking at the screen, accepted the trade. Before them materialized two flagons of red wine that had a faint scent of grapes. The two bards clanked their drinks together and began a race of who could drink theirs the fastest. The first to slam their flagon on the table was Dauntless who wore a grin that Dornia would often describe as 'shit eating' in a less decent attitude. "Rematch!" She said as she waved for the barkeep. Once again, she paid the NPC and the red liquid appeared in their flagons. The two clanked together once more and slammed the drinks as quickly as they could, Dornia's hitting the wooden counter first with a loud bang that grabbed the attention of nearby patrons. "Again." Dauntless said, her grin wiped away and replaced with one of competitive malice. Again, the gold left her inventory and the flagons filled. Again they clanked their wine. Again they knocked back the near pint worth of alcohol. Dauntless was a split second faster than Dornia. "Again." Dornia said, her voice had a hint of irritation. "More competitive than usual, eh? I can roll with the punches." Their flagons full and now eighty gold out, they clanked the drinks again. Dornia groaned as she slammed her flagon down just barely before Dauntless who chuckled and gave her an expectant look. "Winner takes all." Dornia said. Dauntless nodded, her eyes narrowing with a hideous grin. One last time, Dornia performed the mundane act. One last time, their flaggons clanked together. At seemingly the same time, their drinks slammed onto the wood. "Fuck, who won?" Dauntless asked, staring at the now empty vessels. Dornia, trying to recall the moment, said with hesitation, "I think... I think we tied..." "Tie breaker?" Dauntless asked, the fire of competition still burning in her eyes. "Nope. Tomorrow we can." Dornia said with conviction in her voice. "Jeez, some apprentice you are... Won't even entertain the wishes of your master." Dauntless muttered. "We've already blown a hundred gold on drinks alone, Remember? This is-" Dornia was cut off by Dauntless, "This is why I'm in debt, I know already. Jeez, you're worse than Charles, you know that?" Dornia didn't reply to her but punched her arm teasingly and laughed. It was apparent she was slightly drunk but was still well enough to be coordinated. She looked to the barkeep, "We need a room, two beds." With some interactions on the menu, she paid the seven gold for the night's rent. "I'll join you in a bit. Need to hand in that bounty for the kayran." Dornia slapped her partners shoulder, the tattered cloak covering her white shirt absorbing the force and muffling the sound. Removing her lute from her inventory, she also tossed her beret on the floor and began tuning her lute as she spun about on the bar stool. Dornia slid off the stool and walked to the door, three unsavory individuals following behind her in black ragged cloaks who turned to another direction and parted her proximity.

Not ten minutes from the inn was a small and simple building whose sign read, 'Ducal Office of Errants'. She pushed open the door to a man in flamboyant armor with a ruffled collar obscured by a grey beard, a striped armory coat, and two peacock feathers that extended from his large beret. He bowed and, with an exaggerated voice, gave his greetings. "Good morrow, fair maiden. 'Pon my word, what might this old knight do for ye?" She handed him the sheet of parchment for the Kayran contract and laughed heartily, "Aha! I see ye hath defeated the mighty foe! A fine sera such as yourself is deserving of compensation! O' fair maiden, how doth ye desire your payment?" Dornia, slightly annoyed, replied, "Gold please." He nodded, "So be it! Allow me to retrieve your payment from the coffers." He spun around and, after a few seconds, turned to face her once again with a burlap sack that bulged heftily with coin. Handing it to her, he asked, "Will there be anything else, sera?" Dornia shook her head and turned to the door. "May your sword be sharp, and your wits sharper!" He said with exaggerated elegance. She placed the gold in her inventory and walked out the door, the sky looking far darker than before. _I should make it back quickly. It won't be long until I am on._ Dornia thought as she quickened her pace. From the corner of her eye, she could see the three in the black cloaks huddled together in an alley just across the road from the inn. Glancing, she was unable to see any detail other than the large black cloaks that concealed their bodies. Dornia looked over her shoulders as she walked, cautious of an ambush. An ambush that thankfully never came. This town made her uncomfortable.

Dornia stepped onto the porch and was immediately able to hear the rowdiness of the rabble inside. Dauntless was performing as patrons laughed and cheered with no regard to the noise they made. Pushing the door open, she strolled inside and weaved her way to the counter where she pulled her fiddle from her inventory, tuning the chords as she listened to the troubadour's song. Her legs were crossed, her thigh high calf skin boots hanging loosely off her feet as she swayed her legs back and forth. Dornia observed with glee as Dauntless' fingers danced over the chords with strange choppy grace, her performance showing off her expert skill.

(Authors note: search 'The Lifeboat Mona' by Luke Kelly on YouTube to hear the song.)

 _"Remember December fifty-nine._

 _The howling wind and the driving rain._

 _Remember the gallant men who drowned on the lifeboat Mona was her name._ "

She danced her fingers to the simple diddle as she sang, the crowd slamming tankards and flaggons on the table to the rythm of her song.

" _The wind it blows and the sea roars up_.

 _Beats the land with mighty waves_.

 _At 's Bay the lightship fought_.

 _The sea until her moorings gave_."

Dauntless played, her eyes closed as she played each chord with conviction to the emotion the song wished to convey. One to make a heart glow in rememberance of the tragedy.

" _Eight men formed that gallant crew_ ,

 _They set their boat against the main_.

 _The wind's so hard and the sea's so rough_ ,

 _We'll never see land or home again_."

Dauntless swung her leg before her crowd as she laid back on the counter, her black hair spreading across the wood. Dornia held her fiddle and, after bobbing her head to the tempo and rhythm of the melody, joined in with the lute as she strode to the counter. The crowd, now taking full notice, had all eyes on the two as Dornia stepped gently as to not miss a note.

" _Three hours went by and the Mona called_ ,

 _The winds blow hard and the seas run high_.

 _In the morning on Carnusty Beach_ ,

 _The Mona and her crew did lie_."

Dauntless, eyes still closed, smiled with satisfaction upon hearing the familiar fiddle join in. Dornia slid into a stool next to Dauntless, sawing on the strings with grace.

" _Five lay drowned in the kelp there_ ,

 _Two were washed up on the shore_.

 _Eight men died when the boat capsized_ ,

 _And the eighth is lost forever more_."

Dornia and Dauntless harmonized as the two, and the majority of the crowd to their surprise, sang the chorus with them upon the end of the song.

" _Remember December fifty-nine_ ,

 _The howling wind and the driving rain_.

 _The men who leave the land behind_ ,

 _And the men who never see land again_.

 _Remember December fifty-nine_ ,

 _The howling wind and the driving rain_.

 _The men who leave the land behind_ ,

 _And the men who never see land again_."

The new crowd applauded the two bards as they brought the diddle to an end and sat upright, bowing their heads to their audience. A young man from the back clad in light armor and scraggly brown hair shouted to them, "Who'd you say you were again?!" Dauntless, wearing her usual toothy grin, gave a deep bow and exclaimed, "I am Dauntless! Troubador and poetaster!" Her arm flung outward to her left, fiddle in hand as Dornia began to speak. "And I am Dornia the Fer De Lance! Bard and Fiddler!" She blushed slightly as she bowed, her fiddle bow outstretched to the right. _I'm glad I didn't stutter this time._ Dornia thought to herself as the two raised their heads, the clapping coming to an end. "You got any more songs!" The same young man asked with a shout. Dauntless turned to her partner, "You want to lead this one?" she asked, to which Dornia nodded and readied her fiddle. Bringing the bow to her strings, she started a slow and content melody, emulating something that may have come from a harmonica. Her voice had an Irish accent that was thick enough to cut with a knife as she let her pitch quiver with a shortness of breath.

(Author's note: search 'The Moonshiner' by The Clancy Brothers on YouTube to hear the song.)

" _I've been a moonshiner for many a year._

 _And I've spent all me money on whiskey and beer._ "

 _I'll go to some hollow and I'll set up my still._

 _And I'll make you a gallon for a ten shilling bill._ "

Her audience was quiet as all eyes were glued to her and her gently rolling fingers as the soft chords conveyed the feeling of content happiness in their hearts. Her voice perked up slightly as she began her first chorus.

" _I'm a rambler, I'm a gambler,_

 _I'm a long way from home._

 _And if you don't like me_

 _You can leave me alone._

 _I'll eat when I'm hungry_

 _And I'll drink when I'm dry,_

 _And if moonshine don't kill me,_

 _I'll live till I die._ "

Her head bobbed to her rhythm as she immured herself into the very character she sang of, shaking her head at the end of her chorus before ending it with a fragile end to her chords before the next verse.

" _I'll go to some hollow in this country._

 _Ten gallons of wash and I'll go on a spree._

 _No woman to follow and the world is all mine._

 _I love none so well as I love the moonshine._ "

Her emotion was allowed to flow from her lips as she grew more passionate with every word and each line she sang. Her audience could feel the gentle touch and soft sting of her notes with her punctual pronunciations of her lyrics.

" _O' Moonshine, dear moonshine, oh how I love thee._

 _You killed my poor father but dare you kill me._

 _O' Bless all moonshiners and bless all moonshine,_

 _For their breath smells as sweet as the dew on the vine._ "

Gradually the crowd swayed and closed their eyes as she entered her final chorus, her chords growing a little more intense. Not too much, just enough not to overpower the atmosphere she had created that washed over and immured her audience in.

"I'm a rambler, I'm a gambler,

I'm a long way from home.

And if you don't like me

You can leave me alone.

I'll eat when I'm hungry

And I'll drink when I'm dry,

And if moonshine don't kill me,

I'll live till I die."

She sawed her final chords, bringing a simple but elegant end to the folk song as she whistled along with her melody. The silence only lasted for but a moment before the applause came. Patchy at first but most had joined in, their tempo was high and suggesting they enjoyed the show. One in the back whistled and another cheered for another song. Dauntless lept onto the counter, the NPC seeming un-phased by the sudden action. She gestured to her beret and called across the room of patrons, "Dear people, if you would take but a moment and consider a tip for us that you deem deserving of our talents before we begin our next performance!" She readied her lute and strummed a tremolo whose chords began to slow into a constant rise and falls of notes before nodding to Dornia. "You ready, blondie?" Dornia nodded and climbed onto the wooden bar, fiddle in hand. She followed her chords and readied herself for the rather difficult song. Dauntless called out to her crowd. "All you lot, listen up and listen good! This song is a tricky one to sing but if you know it, feel free to sing along! This song is called The Rocky Road to Dublin!" The largest group in the back of the inn all clapped and cheered as Dauntless stomped her feet, signalling to Dornia to begin the verse. Her words followed the same rhythm of her diddle as they were quick, choppy, and followed one another in sequence without pause or even a place to take a breath it seemed.

" _While in the merry month of May, now from me home I started._

 _Left, the girls of Tuam were nearly broken-hearted._

 _Saluted father dear, kissed me darling mother,_

 _Drank a pint of beer, me grief and tears to smother._

 _Then off to reap the corn and leave where I was born._

 _Cut a stout, black thorn to banish ghosts and goblins._

 _A brand-new pair of brogues to rattle over the bogs,_

 _And frighten all the dogs on the rocky road to Dublin._

 _A-one, two, three, four, five_

 _Hunt the hare and turn her down the rocky road,_

 _And all the ways to Dublin, whack, follol de-dah!_ "

Not half way through her verse, the group in the back was clapping to the rhythm and stomping feet on the wooden floorboards. It seemed infectious as near half of the inn had joined in by the start of the next verse. Dornia had not visibly taken a breath as of yet as the words practically fell from her mouth and formed song.

" _In Mullingar that night I rested, limbs so weary._

 _Started by daylight next morning, blithe and early._

 _Took a drop of pure to keep me heart from shrinking!_

 _Thats the Paddy's cure when'er he's on for drinking!_

 _To hear the lassies smile, laughing all the while,_

 _At me curious style, 'twould set your heart a-bubblin'!_

 _They asked me was I hired and wages I required to lay,_

 _Was almost tired of the rocky road to Dublin!_ "

Her tempo had not fallen, her mouth making it seem easy to her audience to sing such a song but it was clear she had practice. Much much practice. Her crowd was completely in awe by her spectacular performance and presentation to those who cared to listen, but rather, those who could ignore the bard and her catchy songs.

 _One, two, three, four, five_

 _Hunt the hare and turn her down the rocky road,_

 _And all the ways to Dublin, whack, follol de-dah!_ "

Her singing became intense and heart-filled as she emphasized every verse. The entire crowd was completely engrossed with the performance that had a fight broken out, it would be unlikely for those not watching it to even notice as it seemed every spectator clapped to her singing.

" _In Dublin next arrived, I thought it such a pity_ ,

 _To be so soon deprived a view of that fine city_.

 _So then I took a stroll, all among the quality_.

 _Bundle it was stolen, in a neat locality_.

 _Something crossed me mind, when I looked behind_ ,

 _No bundle could I find upon me stick a-wobblin'_.

 _'Quiring after the rogue, said me Connaught brogue_ ,

 _It wasn't much in vogue on the rocky road to Dublin_!"

 _One, two, three four, five_

 _Hunt the hare and turn her down the rocky road_

 _And all the ways to Dublin, whack, follol de-dah_ "

Dauntless, plucking her strings to Dornia's vocals, bounced her knee to the rhythm. She was completely and utterly immersed in song, blind to all around her but the entity the tale provided.

" _From there I got away, me spirits never falling_

 _Landed on the quay, just as the ship was sailing_

 _Captain at me roared, said that no room had he_

 _When I jumped aboard, a cabin found for Paddy_

 _Down among the pigs, did some hearty rigs_

 _I played some hearty jigs, the water round me bubbling_

 _When off Holyhead I wished meself was dead_

 _Or better for instead on the rocky road to Dublin_

 _One, two, three four, five_

 _Hunt the hare and turn her down the rocky road_

 _And all the ways to Dublin, whack, follol de-dah_ "

Dornia broke the pace and sawed wildly on her fiddle in between the chorus and her next verse. Dornia felt, if she had not been fiddling, she might jump from her seat, stand on a table, and dance a jig there on the spot. It quickly became apparent that others had the same urge as those intoxicated enough on beers and liquors did just that. Some even kicking tankards and flagons across the room, hitting other players and causing a row.

" _The boys of Liverpool, when we safely landed_

 _Called meself a fool, I could no longer stand it_

 _Blood began to boil, temper I was losing_

 _Poor old Erin's Isle they began abusing_

 _"Hurrah me soul" says I, me Shillelagh I let fly_

 _Galway boys were by and saw I was a hobblin'_

 _With a "lo!" and "hurray!" they joined in the affray_

 _Quickly cleared the way for the rocky road to Dublin_

 _One, two, three four, five_

 _Hunt the hare and turn her down the rocky road_

 _And all the ways to Dublin, whack, follol de-dah_ "

Dornia ended her ballad out of breath to both applause and fighting. She, at first, felt guilty for causing such a rabble but it was quickly diminished by Dauntless' laughter. Dornia looked to her who, lute still in playing position, was laughing so hard that she might fall from her stool. In fact, that is exactly what happened. With a thud, she hit the floor boards that creaked from her weight, her laughter not ceasing. "What is so funny to you? The fight?" After a brief moment of trying to contain herself, failing twice and falling back into a giddy laughter, she finally managed to form a sentence without bursting back into her fit. "You actually caused a bar fight? That's fucking hilarious, that is. What's that German word for it called? Laughing at another's misery or something?" Dauntless asked, short of breath as she clambered back onto her stool while circling with her hand in an attempt to gesture in some form of posh fashion. "Schadenfreude?" Dornia asked, an un-amused tone resounding in her voice. "Yeah, that's the word! What? You don't think this is funny? You caused a fucking bar fight with your performance!" Dauntless explained, setting her lute down on the table and gestured her excitement. Dornia looked at the players who were absolutely thrashing one another with punches, kicks, and the occasional chair being thrown. "Don't worry about their health, this town is a safe zone. Their health won't deplete an inch." Dauntless explained, wiping away a tear. "What if one of them takes up a grudge or something? Someone might try fighting them for real." Dornia asked, still concerned at the situation she had a hand in creating. "Don't worry about it, everyone knows the consequences of killing a player. Sure there are some yellows but nobody here is red. Besides, just green players are fighting. Those yellows are minding their own business." Dornia looked over to the two who were mentioned by Dauntless, one of which locked eyes with Dornia briefly before looking away. Dornia failed to see them re-enter the inn but was certain that they were the ones who left right behind her. Dauntless shook Dornia from her thoughts, "We should turn in for the night. Next floor is where we are headed. The town there is pretty far so we are going to need supplies." Dornia nodded and the two slid off the stools, storing their instruments and slipping through the rabble to the stairs. They ascended them, passing by the banister that had an impressive view of the fight below where near fifteen had joined in by then. Dornia did not feel as guilty but the guilt was still very much present as she was certain that some of those punches had to be painful. "Don't sweat it, blondie. They are having fun, trust me." Dauntless said over her shoulder. "Eh? How do you know?" Dornia asked. "Go get in a bar fight. You'll have fun, trust me. Especially when you can't be injured." Dauntless replied, cackling as she spoke.

She opened the door with her key and pushed open the door, revealing a simple room with two beds separated only by a night stand. Next to the door was a dresser where three candles lay upon it next to the skull of a bear. Dornia was repulsed by the decor as she turned her gaze from it, noticing a book shelf with many vacant spots filled with nick nacks instead of literature. Dornia looked through the books to be disappointed by her finds only being local guides, beginner tip books, and a fairy tale book that seemed to be in every inn room she stayed in. She had already read it out of boredom three or four times already in the past two weeks and was thoroughly sick of it. She groaned and walked over to the left bed that sat unoccupied. She flopped onto her back, landing uncomfortably on her sword sheathe. "Why can't they get real books for these dammed rooms?" She turned her head to the night stand and eyeballed the candle stick whose fire burned endlessly on the wick, showing no wax melting or length lost. "If you are going to complain, why not use your money and buy some books?" Dauntless asked as she swiped through her inventory, un-equipping most of her items and leaving her in only her white blouse and black undergarments. "Speaking of money, we didn't remind patrons for donations before we turned in. Did you happen to get _any_ money tonight?" Dauntless lifted the linen sheets and furs and slid under them before replying, "Nope. Not a single coin. We weren't getting a thing from that crowd while a brawl was on. I'd say the show was payment enough." She laughed as she finished speaking, rolling on her side to face her apprentice. Dornia opened her inventory and unequipped her armor as well, leaving her with a similar blouse and trousers made from a fine and flexible material. She slid under the cover of sheets and furs before she muttered, "Sure am glad _you_ got paid." "Now now, don't be ungrateful. We still have plenty of coin for that payment for your fiddle. Four thousand, right?" Dauntless asked, Dornia nodding in reply. "Right. So tomorrow, we will head out for the next floor, making sure to take out as many enemies along the way. Seven levels in two weeks isn't bad but it only get's harder." Dornia did not reply. She stared at the ceiling where she could see old cobwebs that laid vacant for an indeterminable amount of time. "Book store is our next stop. You hear me? This boredom is driving me nuts." -

\- Dauntless chuckled and muttered, "I'm not drunk enough for this. I'm going to sleep now." Dornia didn't reply. _That must be the most responsible thing she has ever said since we've met._ Dornia thought, a look of bewilderment crawling across her face. She took notice and shook the expression away, continuing to stare at the ceiling.

Not ten minutes passed and Dornia could hear the shallow breathing of Dauntless who laid in slumber next to her. Dornia's thoughts turned to the two players with orange icons. _They've attacked a player. Maybe more than just one?_ Her minds wandered as she recalled them following her out the door when she turned in their bounty for the kayran. _They could not have been far behind me. After all, I didn't see them when I came back._ She tried to play back the events in her head, trying to settle where they came from. _There was a lot going on but I swear they weren't there when I came back inside. They were there when I was performing, I know that for sure. One of them looked right at me._ Picturing the room downstairs before the rabble began, she vividly remembered the seats filled with maybe twenty five players, two of which were the orange pair. _When did they come inside? Why do they make me so uncomfortable?_ The candle flickered, the shadows dancing across the walls. Dornia could feel her stomach turning with worry. Not quite dread but it made her uneasy, nevertheless. She felt the sudden urge to peak out her door as if an unknown force was outside, listening to the silence. She slid off of the bed, her feet gently planting on the floor boards as she nimbly crept to the portal of her room. She quickly equipped a dagger from her inventory and held it at the ready as she grabbed the handle, hiding the blade behind the door frame. She was aware no harm could come to her in a safe zone but she felt more secure with the dagger than without it. Slowly, quietly, she pulled the door open to find the hallway was vacant with one exception. A player with a green icon ascending the stairs with a black traveling cloak and long brown hair saw her face peaking out and nodded a greeting. She stared for a moment more around the corridor before waving at him in return. The player walked to his room, two doors from hers, and opened the door before saying, "Goodnight, miss Fer De Lance." He smiled to her as he entered his room and closed the door with a quiet _thunk._ Dornia closed the door, thoroughly embarrassed and returned the dagger to her inventory before returning to her bed. Staring at the ceiling, she thought to herself, _Am I going crazy? Why am I so fixated on some orange players?_ She rubbed her face, it being hot as she still blushed. _That guy knew my name, though. Is it because I am gaining fame?_ _I must be paranoid. No wonder Dauntless drinks so much._ Dornia concluded as she tried to shoo away her thoughts and sleep. She closed her eyes only for the thoughts to come flooding back, the feeling of her sinking never leaving her gut.

The crowing of a rooster signaled to Dornia that morning had come but she had not slept the entire night, her arms still behind her head as she stared at the ceiling. She looked over to Dauntless who was still fast asleep. She sat up to wake her, only for her to grab her dagger before hand. Her eyes narrowed as she crept toward the door instead of Dauntless' bed, the creeping feeling of being watched stayed with her. _I am definitely not imagining things. Something is up and I don't like it._ She opened the door, this time not as quietly as before, and looked around the corridor seeing open doors and hearing only the sounds of clanking feast ware. She stayed in the cracked door for a moment waiting for something, anything to happen. Something to confirm her suspicions, although she did not know what to expect. _Why am I getting this feeling?_ Dornia thought, her eyes narrow and suspicious of her supposed predicament. She slowly began to close the door but was stopped by a sound. The front door opened, the sound of thunder cracking the sky echoing inside the hall, and it slamming shut. Dornia waited a moment as the ambient sounds returned to normal. That was until shouting began as soon as it quieted down. A rough but higher pitched voice yelled out to the tavern, the person responsible was unseen by Dornia. "Letter! I have a letter for a miss Namira!" Dornia was stunned, unsure if she should answer it's call. She stood still, waiting for another to answer. The voice called out once again, "I have a letter for miss Namira! I know she is here! Has anyone seen a miss Namira!" Dornia stood upright, dawned her armor from her inventory, and equipped her instrument and weapon before opening the door. _Who is that? I don't know anyone who sounds like that._ She walked to the banister, standing over the tavern another story above. There she saw a small figure, maybe a meter tall with pointed ears and a simple tunic with pouches covering his waist. His bald head was covered by a wedge cap adorned by a pheasant's feather and his face wore a gruesome scar from chin to ear that was slightly hidden by his whiskers of facial hair. He tightened his belt, adjusted his red cap, and pressed his hands across his matching tunic before grabbing a scroll of parchment that was bound by a black ribbon and a red wax seal bearing the lettler 'S' in an old English font. He extended his arm to his side, directly in the direction of Dornia who stood atop the banister and looking down. "Miss Namira, a letter for you." He repeated as his head turned to meet his gaze, revealing his eye patch that was hidden by his turned head. Dornia blushed, embarrassed from the attention that was on her from every person in the room. She was not bothered by this when she performed but this was sudden and awkward, a situation she'd have liked to avoid when possible. Her feet felt heavy as she forced herself to move down the stairs, feeling all eyes on her. She descended the stairs, each step creaking beneath her, and approached the short creature. It looked human enough but stocky and short. Not a dwarf. A halfling, perhaps? Dornia could not place it but it was something unlike anything she had seen in the game. The short humanoid smiled and offered her the letter, his eye shone bright blue in the candle light. "Excuse me, who are you?" Dornia asked in a quiet tone. "Why I am Arleigh, master courier at your service." The short man proclaimed before bowing, the letter still extended. "Excuse me but my name is Dornia, not Namira." Dornia lied. It did not deceive Arleigh, however, who raised his head with a polite smile, "Who ever you are, this letter is for you. After all, I am not called a master courier for no reason, madam." He chuckled. "Alright then, master Arleigh, who is this letter from?" Dornia asked, although trying to be inquisitive she was genuinely curious. _This has to be an in-game event or something. I am pretty sure players can't be that short... Unless..._ "Are you a player?" Dornia interrupted before he was able to respond to her previous question. "Eh? I'm just a courier. Not playing anything, miss. To answer your question; the letter is from a relative, I believe. It was left in my drop and addressed to you by somebody with the same surname as you. If it was assigned to me, it must be mighty important." He concluded with a confident nod, never dropping the letter that was extended to her. Dornia slowly took the letter from the halfling, confused by the ordeal. "Thank you, master Arleigh." Dornia said slowly, trying to rub the confusion from her face. "Will there be anything else, miss Dornia?" Dornia shook her head. "Then I bid you a good day and safe travels, miss Dornia." Dornia nodded and smiled ingenuinely.

Dornia watched the short creature stroll out of the tavern, blinking in confusion. She scanned the room to find the players looking at her, only to avert their gaze when she met theirs. Dornia stored the item in her inventory and walked back up the stairs, peaking over her shoulder to see the two orange players seated with hoods on and watching her. Dornia grew tense as an atmosphere of impending danger was creeping up inside her gut. _Something is up with those guys. I just know it._ She passed by the man she saw last night who was exiting his room. He bowed his head as she passed, greeting her. "Good morning, Fer De Lance." Dornia cleared her throat and responded, "Good morning." She grabbed the handle on her door before glancing back at the stranger who had his hand on the railing to the stairs. He looked at Dornia, a chilling grin and narrow eyed look displayed for her to see, and asked her, "Sleep well last night?" His tone was casual but Dornia could sense an underlying sinister theme. _He has to be with them. I wonder if I should tell Dauntless?_ "Quite well, actually. Thank you for asking." Dornia lied, presenting a dumb smile to fuel her ruse. "Glad to hear it. I hear you have a great journey before you. Rest is important, miss Fer De Lance. So long." He replied, giving a wink as he walked down the stairs. Dornia sighed with relief, her heart pounding with anxiety. She opened her door and quietly locked it behind her before sitting down on the bed. Dauntless was still fast asleep. Dornia opened her menu, 06:34 the clock read, opening her inventory to retrieve the letter whose item name was 'A letter from home'. Dornia froze once it was in her possesion, trying to figure out where 'home' was. _Could it be from a player or npc? Or maybe... Could it be from my parents? What else could it be if it's from home?_ Dornia pondered, her hands trembling ever so slightly in partial to anxiety as well as excitement. She fell back on the bed, sighing deeply before inspecting the letter. _Just a black ribbon around a parchment with a wax seal. The letter 'S'_ _... for Steiner, perhaps?_ She thought as she manipulated the object. "Verdammt." She muttered as she pulled at one of the loose ends of the ribbon, breaking the seal and opening the letter. The scroll contained two pages; A letter on one and a map on the other with a drawing of a familiar tree she strugled to place from memory. She noticed a quest added to her journal on her player alert tab. She scrolled through her menu and opened her quests to find a new quest titled, 'Seven years since then'. It's only current objective being, 'read the letter'. Dornia returned her attention to the letter and began reading the first page.

 _Dear Namira,_

 _If you are reading this then_ _you have probably made a name for yourself here in Aincrad by now. We have hear of your deeds_ _and fame and have decided you are ready to undertake a particular quest. Prepare yourself and party for the journey you are to embark upon and expect to see master Arleigh again in the future. A great treasure significant to you specifically awaits but six keys must be found for the six locks. To open the locks, two must turn the key. The first is you, I am certain you know the second person. Make no mistake, you will have to earn this treasure so expect your journey to be fraught with danger. As a disclaimer, you will recieve only three letters while your partner will recieve the next three. Coordination is expected of you two so don't dissapoint your parents. Joking aside, upon study of the map, you will see a sketch of a land mark, a word, and a number. These are your clues, girls. Be safe, be careful, and use your heads._

 _With love, Mom and Mom._

Dornia let her arms fall to her side and muttered, "Thanks mom." a sadness welling inside of her as she remembered home and how much she missed it. Although she wanted to break down and weep, she did not allow herself to do so. She shoved the feeling down, replacing her sorrow with a burning desire to push further knowing escape is only possible if the game is beaten. She rubbed her face vigorously before examining the map. "A treasure map, huh?" She said, knowing she would not wake her partner. Scribbled onto the parchment was the word 'Wald', the number twenty four, and a sketch of a large tree surrounded by much smaller trees upon a high rise surrounded by water. "What the hell? What does this mean, mom?" she muttered in confusion, examining the map in different angles. "Wald is forest. A forest where? Floor twenty four? Must be." She thought aloud as she sat up, brushing her bangs away from her eyes. She sighed and stood up, removing a parchment from her inventory and scribbled a note, placing it upon her pillow. _Going for a walk south of town. Be back soon._

Dornia placed her hand on the door handle, having the sinking feeling return once more. _They are waiting for me. I know it._ Dornia concluded, pulling the door open and exiting the room. She locked the door behind her and walked down the hallway, descending the stairs, and crossing the inn to the exit. She pushed out to the blast of cold air of the downpour of rain. Standing under the roof of the porch, she pulled her hood up and stepped into the muddy road before walking out to the south. She knew she was being stalked. _I'll have to pick my field. Fight on my terms._ Dornia thought, trying to keep calm. She was terrified of the though of fighting a player. An NPC was one thing but a seasoned player could cut her down in seconds if she was not careful. Left foot after right, she was unable to hear her feet hit the puddles over the drenching downpour of rain. Despite her inability to see them, she knew for a fact that no less than two followed her at a distance. _What do they want? My map? Maybe just to rob me?_ Dornia's thoughts ran rampant as she walked, ascending and descending hills along the road. _Murderers? Thieves? Maybe they are just creeps? Who are they?_ The young woman pondered as she ascended another hill, cresting it to find the point she was looking for. Though the visibility was low, she could make out the open clearing whose diameter was a near perfect circle of thirty meters surrounded by waist high grass and a meter tall stone it's epicenter. She cut across the grass, climbed onto the wet stone, and sat down. She crossed a leg under the other and pulled out her fiddle before playing. _If I am their target, then we fight on my terms. If I am their target... then I'll be forced to..._ Dornia swallowed nervously. _I'll have to kill them._ She dimmed her eyes, focusing on the music she played as she became a siren luring in her prey. Her tempo was slow, the mood depressing and chords drawn out. She could not see them in the tall grass and could not hear them over the rain that poured around her, rolling off of her instrument she held at it's side to avoid water from getting in the instrument. It was an awkward angle but, with her body tilted with the instrument, she was able to cope with the irregular technique. She drew out a long chord, paused for but a moment to listen, and continued her somber melody. Digging in her toes to the rock, she readied her body for the eventual spring. From behind her was a sudden shift in the grass just audible enough to overpower the rain. Like a rabbit, she lept from the rock with nimble grace and landed with ease. She sighed to calm herself as she stowed her instrument before she drew her sword, allowing it to hang to her right. From behind the rock she once sat upon appeared a man in a black cloak. Although hazy through the downpour, she was able to tell it was a green player who wore the very same cloak as the orange players in the inn. He laughed to himself as he stood before the rock not four meters from her. "We meet again, miss Fer De Lance." Dornia recognized his voice. The one who stayed in the room next to hers. He continued as Dornia held her focus, not on him, but her surroundings. Thunder boomed before he continued, "I must admit, you're smarter than you look." His voice was cocky as he threw his arms to his side in nonchalant fashion. He laughed as he spoke, "Originally we were just going to kill you but now we learn you have something we want. You're a performer, right? How about you put a show on for us by handing over that map of yours and we'll pay by sparing your life?" His laughter turned from subtle to maniacal as he flipped his dagger through the air. Dornia felt her grip tighten on her hilt as he spoke. She cut his laughter off with a question, "So out of the five you have here, which one of you is the boss?" She guessed, figuring that she would either die incorrect or not have witnesses to her wrong guess to the number of foes she'd be forced to face. "Well well well, miss Fer De Lance, you certainly impress." He laughed, thoroughly entertained by her guess. He waved to the tall grass where four additional players wearing identical cloaks emerged, two on her left and two on her right. _Well that was a lucky guess, I guess. Not sure if that's brag-worthy right now, though._ Dornia thought to herself as she scanned her opponents. To her left, a man with a skinny build wielding a rapier and buckler. Next to him was another similar built man with a spear suggesting a highly dexterous build. The man before her with whom she'd been conversing with held a dagger and wore a katanna on his hip. Beside him, a tall woman with a mace wearing heavier armor and a shield. She definitely did not see her at the inn. Beside her to Dornia's right was a man wielding a similar sword to Dornia's. The six stood still in the pouring rain as the center man spoke, "Why I am the leader of this company, my prey." He could not resist bursting into the same laughter as before, peering into the sky as he did. "Why do you want to kill me? You don't even know me." Dornia asked with a mix of worry and anger in her voice. He smiled to the sky, speaking to her with his head held high. "Simple... Very simple, miss Dornia." His head slowly turned it's gaze from the sky to meet hers with murderous intent in his eyes. "One receives the most fame when the victim is someone who is famous. What better way to become famous, ourselves?" He chuckled menacingly, the other four joining with hideous grins. "And if I give you this map, you'll let me live?" Dornia asked, her heart racing with fear. Fear for what she would say to them. _Should I give it to them? It's all I have from home. It's not right... but I don't want to die._ Dornia pondered, her nervousness eating at her and deteriorating her cool and collected exterior. Cracks in her demeanor were at risk of showing and, should her opponent see them, would definitely be exploited by her foes. "That was the deal, wasn't it? Would I go back on my word?" He asked with an arrogant tone before he and his detail laughed in unison. Dornia pulled the map from her pocket and unrolled it, looking it over as water drops soaked the paper. She examined it as she spoke, "This map... It is not for you. This map cannot be read by you. It is for my eyes only, you see? If you truly want this map," Her fear made her numb as her mind went blank and combative instinct took control. "You'll have to kill me for it." There was sting in her voice as she stowed the map and readied for the impending fight. The leader laughed once more and shouted to the sky, "Perfect! I love it when they resist!" Before the six all readied their stances and stood still in the drenching downpour. The deafening boom of thunder in the distance and the constant roar of heavy rain deafened their clearing whose mud was loose and slick.

A flash before the clap of thunder as the five stared down the blonde swordswoman who stood at the ready, silent as the grave. The center man laughed as his dagger flipped through the air, his hand catching it with expert precision before tossing it upward again. His hand moved to his sword's hilt and rested as his dagger landed in his hand once more. Dornia clenched her teeth as the dagger flew into the air, it's wielder's hand drawing his katanna instead and allowing the blade to land tip first in the mud. To Dornia's surprise, the five did not rush her as she expected them to but stood fast for another signal. "I recognize your stance. Historical European martial arts?" He asked as Dornia's face remained void of emotion to his question, remaining silent among the loud roar of water droplets. "That us, assuming you know what you're doing. I watched your fight with Dauntless. You fight decisively, don't you?" He pestered on, taunting the young blonde who was already very outnumbered. "You know..." He paused and looked to the sky, cackling, "When we're done killing you," His mouth opened with a toothy grin, inhaling with giddy excitement, "We're going to make a spectacle killing your friend." Dornia attempted to ignore what she was hearing as her opponent tried to psych her out with off-putting words. Although able to ignore most of their taunts, the thought of them targeting Dauntless made her anxious. They had now dragged her partner into their quarrel for reasons of fame for murder. _I won't let them get away with this._ Dornia thought, desperately trying to suppress adrenaline induced trembles that rocked her body. Irritated of hearing his taunts, she shouted in an annoyed and impatient fashion with hopes to insinuate that his words had no affect on her. "Are we going to hold monologues or are we going to fight?" She was impressed that she didn't fumble her words as she spoke, thus making her counter taunt more effective. He looked at her, taken back by her interruption and smiled deviously. "Very well, miss Fer De Lance." He laughed to himself as he readied his stance, his blade extended before him toward his opponent, his right hand on the top and left hand on the bottom of the hilt for maximum leverage. They stood for what seemed like minutes before a flash of lightning split the sky and lit their field of battle, revealing for a moment the details of her foes and they, hers.

The thunder clapped and with it, the sound of the katanna clanging against Dornia's longsword. Their footing was compromised as the six struggled to maneuver the muddy ground, Dornia having the slight advantage with her long and wide boots. She strode backwards, training her opponents to follow her. _I'll have to single them out and eliminate them one by one._ Dornia thought as she nimbly dodged their attacks, effectively exploiting her high skills in agility and dexterity. Waiting, watching for an opening, she observed for any opportunity to make an attack. From her left, the mace flew and her right, the rapier sought it's target. Dornia back stepped, kicking the rapier wielder's hand in the process but failing to knock the sword from his grip. Had it not been for the mace, she'd have made a harsh blow for their armpit to sever the limb. Dornia had not much time to recover as she found herself rolling away from a swinging spear for her face, tumbling through the mud to escape it's reach. Dornia rolled to her feet and acted, not in thought but instinct, her sword swinging behind her and leaving her torso open. Like a ballerina, she spun into a pirouette, striking the rapier wielder in the arm before changing the direction into another pirouette, striking the shield of the mace wielder twice. From behind her came the spear that sought her back. Dornia spun about, the spear head missing her and finding the shield stead, and swung a slash at his face. Her blade met it's target but only barely as his health only lowered ten percent or so. She exited the spin with grace as she allowed her body's momentum to carry her across the muddy ground, her feet firmly planted with her weight shifted to her left foot. She rotated her blade toward her now stunned opponent whose expression turned from a lust for blood to a realization of pain. _I'll not let them even touch me._ Dornia thought to herself, her fears turning to anger the more she thought of her attackers turning on her friend with the intent of murder. Her blood boiled and her rage built inside, causing her sword to quiver a little. "Ooooh? She's afraid, look at her trembling!" The spear man cried before the pack burst into laughter. He looked to his side and laughed with his leader, his first mistake. Dornia noticed the weakness and the laughter stopped. Red fury in her eyes as his right arm and head hit the ground, leaving a toppling and limp corpse. The four remaining fighters did not see her move, they were distracted and she was too quick to stop. His life bar drained to zero before the body exploded into light blue fragments, his allies all stunned in shock of her single and deadly blow. It was not his first mistake, but his last. Dornia took two steps back, snaking her sword in response of her kill. The leader giggled in response of her eliminating one of his men. "It doesn't take much to get you seeing red, does it?" Dornia did not reply, her look was response enough. Through the drenched hood were two piercing blue eyes whose stare was cold and filled with hate. Dornia saw the mace wielding woman grit her teeth and slam her mace to her shield before her mouth curled to a smile. Dornia took notice of the man with the rapier on her right and her left, tall grass. The other two stood at range and waited patiently for their comrades to finish her off.

Yet again, the rapier saught her back with speed but failed to meet it. Instead, it met the length of Dornia's blade with force. A short cut across the chest met his sword with force and nearly knocked it from his hands. Her attack became relentless as she struck parry after parry with great force and knocked his attacks away with her superior sword weight. He raised his arm and stabbed behind her blade to evade her constant attacks, not in attempt to hit her but her crossguard so he may overpower her strong with his. Their blades locked together as their faces became close. He laughed as his strength slowly began overpowering hers. Dornia smiled, confusing her opponent, and pulled her right hand whilst pushing her left. The blade moved with his pushing, throwing him off balance and causing him to take the full brunt of her strike. The pommel of her sword made contact with his face and crushing his nose. The rapier man squealed in pain, staggering backward and losing grip on his sword as Dornia Pulled her sword from his. His rapier fell to the ground as he wiped tears from his eyes, filled with anger. She slid her foot under the rapier's blade and flicked it into the air toward her opponent. A cold voice came from the blonde, "Pick it up." She held her sword to her side and waited for her opponent to retrieve the sword. As he did, the tall woman swung silently at her head with a dead on target swing. Still she missed as she saw the blonde for a split second beside her before noticing her hand severed and falling to the mud, the mace still tightly in it's grip. A moment of realization passed before the woman began groaning in pain and cursing. "I'll deal with you in a minute." That same voice said. Dornia looked back to the shaken rapier wielder who stood at the ready with his hand to his rear and his blade pointed at his opponent. Dornia walked by the now handless woman to her previous opponent and held her sword up, the tip toward her enemy. Her right hand supported the sword while her left was flared on the pommel. Only a meter separated their blades as the two stood fast for the next clap of thunder. Dornia loosened her right hand's grip and stood patiently. _He only needs to move and I can strike._ The flash was much brighter this time, showing nearly every detail of her opponent. A black and ragged cloak covering black leather armor and a series of pouches across his belt. He seemed not to have hair as the hood hid it well. The downpour was the only sound around them, save the pained grunts of frustration by the armored woman.

The boom of thunder was followed closely by the clang of steel, strike after strike as the two tested eachother's defenses further. A midsection stab to be parried by Dornia's flat, an underhanded cut from her to meet his light sidestep as the rapier dissipated the force of the impact. Clang after clang as the two struck with calculated precision. Forward and back the two strode as they slapped swords like a choreographed play, neither making contact with one another. For the rapier wielder, Dornia was certain he was testing her reaction in hopes of outmaneuvering her. Dornia, on the other hand, only bided time. She knew how to defeat him already, however, something primal inside her wanted her to toy with her prey. She began her game with a light cut to his calf, barely dropping his health but she knew he felt it. The red glow of the cut illuminating the raid drops that fell near it. He cringed in pain as he realized what had happened and resorted to lashing at her in hopes of returning a blow. Dornia would not let him. She grabbed her sword by the blade and swung the hilt of the sword into his gut, the cross guard knocking the wind out of him. She expertly tossed the sword back toward herself, catching the hilt and returning to a middle guard. The rapier wielder coughed and gasped as he caught his breath. Dornia was nearly taken off guard by the shield maiden who had seen enough of her comrade taking the beating. She charged at Dornia with her shield and attempted to strike her with the large kite. Dornia dived out of the way, rolling in the mud as she watched her newest foe try to stop in the slick mud without falling over. From behind she heard footsteps approaching her. The flash of lighting showed a longsword gleaming in the dark of the storm. She stood, twirling about to meet his blade that approached at high speed for her shoulder. It connected with great force, causing her to slide back a few centimeters in the mud. The thunder boomed. She stood up, numb to the cold of the wet mud. Dornia winded her sword toward her match before twisting it behind her, coiling into a strike behind her that penetrated the shield maiden's arm as she charged once more in silence. Dornia side stepped only to parry the rapier from her left as the other two approached her. Dornia stepped into the rapier's strike and behind his blade before guiding her sword into his gut, draining his life by half. She placed her foot behind his, toppling him and flipping over him. Between his unbalanced form and her momentum, she savagely ripped her sword out of his gut, nearly killing him there and then as he screamed in gruesome pain. Dornia spun behind her to face her other foes as her victim screamed in agony, incapacitated on the ground. Without a second thought, she slammed her sword into his head, decapitating him at the jaw. His body exploded into the blue fragments and dissipated with the wind as Dornia stared her remaining two foes down with a look of malice sprawled across her face.

Laughter from their leader who was atop the rock sounded over the rain, "You're a bit of a killer yourself? We aren't so different, are we?" He laughed in mockery of the drenched and mud covered swordswoman. The shield maiden and swordsman laughed along as they stood ready for their next skirmish. Dornia, her sword still in the ground where the rapier wielder's head once was, replied to his taunts in an un-amused tone. "Tell me something." The leader looked to her, interested with what she had to say. "Hmm? Oh do tell what's on your mind, won't you?" He ended his question with a chuckle. Dornia replied in the same bored tone, "When I kill you, will I hear laughter from inside your coffin?" He laughed and blurted out, "I guess I'd be a laughing coffin then, won't I? Say, that isn't a bad name. Laughing Coffin..." He rubbed his chin, smiling as he pondered. "I think the boss would love that name. Thanks to you, blondie, your killers may have a name. Too bad you won't be around to tell people it's name." He sighed with a smile and shrugged, "I guess it's up to us to spread the word. Starting with you, of course. After that, your drunk of a partner... that is, after we hace some fun with her of course." His smile curled as he licked his lips. Dornia raised her sword and readied herself, the rage welling inside her ready to burst.

"I guess you'll just have to hurry up and kill me, then." Dornia said as her teeth gritted in anger, her grip adjusting and tightening. She raised her sword over her head, the blade positioned behind her head but still a few centimeters from her neck. The leader stood behind as his lackeys marched toward Dornia, their arms at the ready. Dornia met the shield with a light strike, her blade bouncing off only to strike from the opposite direction. Her feet left the ground as she lept into a pirouette, striking the shield with greater force than before. The shield maiden tried to maintain her footing on the slick ground but failed and toppled forward. Dornia had found her opening and swung for her leg, only for another blade to stop hers. The other swordsman denied her the blow and now engaged her. He struck twice with strikes to her left shoulder that were met by her own razor. Had Dornia released her rage, she may have not been able to see the strike from behind by a katana that narrowly missed her right arm. Their leader had entered the frey. Yet again, it was three on one. Dornia was surrounded as the now furious shield maiden rose, covered in thick mud. Her health was merely missing twenty percent but she was handling one hand very well. Perhaps better than Dornia, her fighting style relying on two hands after all. She wrapped around her hips and swung her blade into the leg of the longsword wielder, clipping his shin and leaving a red glow where her blade slashed. From a still, all four were in motion as the lightning flashed again.

The ring of steel clashing may have carried through the meadow had the rain ceased, but the roar of the drops and the crash of thunder made it near impossible. Dornia back stepped from the katanna, side stepping and knocking away the longsword as she struck for the katanna wielder only to meet his blade. The shield crashed into her, knocking Dornia over in the mud as the others went for the kill. Dornia rolled to her feet and rolled backwards to gain distance. She lept forward with blistering speed, meeting the shield maiden before she knew what was happening. It was easy for Dornia to close the gap and get behind her shield as she tried to assess the current situation. Dornia's blade met her gut, cutting her deep and causing the shield maiden to hunch over in agony. Dornia spun on her toes and faced about, her sword cleanly decapitating the woman at the nape of her neck. Dornia, left foot forward and hips towards her opponents, stood still as the lifeless body collapsed into the mud with a squish. The pattering of rain hitting her pauldrons was the only noise that Dornia could hear. Lightning cracked the sky and the body exploded into blue fragments, floating away before fading. They turned to Dornia, the longsword wielder visibly distressed as the leader cracked a smile. _Two left._ Dornia thought as she stood at the ready, her blade lowered and a single hand on the hilt. Dornia felt nothing but numbness. Her breathing was calm as her gut burned with a suppressed rage as her thoughts flashed images of what they might do to her friend. Images of torture, of slavery, of rape. She didn't know if it was even possible but the thought alone filled her with anger that took every fiber of her being to keep locked away. The longsword's wielder ran at her, rage in his eyes. They savagely crashed blades together, locking cross guards and twisting blades in hopes to strike eachother's head. Their blades released as the two retracted and readied for the next skirmish, the sloshing of puddles beneath their feet as they struggled with footing in the wet. They met one another's gaze, swords in high guard and bladed pointing at one another. Dornia recognized the stance. Unlike the others, he was practiced in the real world like her. From her left, the katanna flew to her face like a flash. He was fast, too fast for Dornia to dodge completely. A red glow on her cheek where the tip of the blade slashed her appeared. They exploited her situation and went for another strike. Dornia grabbed her blade with her left hand and blocked the katanna as she high kicked the longsword wielder's hand. Her foot planted and she swung her hilt behind the leader's foot, hooking his ankle with the cross guard. She pulled with great force, her grip firm on the sword as not to cut herself, causing him to fall backwards into the mud. She had barely enough time to whip around and parry the blow of the longsword, the two falling into a brutal melee of strikes with any part of their sword possible. A strike with a blade only to be blocked by a cross guard, a pommel to the head blocked by the opponent's strong, the blows struck one after the other as they kicked and punched one another. The leader readied himself and charged for a stab, his blade close to his body before extending toward Dornia whose sword caught it's edge and allowed it to slide off her blade, all the while ducking under a quick strike for her neck. Lightning flashed as the leader overshot his target, skidding to a stop and quickly facing about toward his target. The two longswords locked their cross guards high before Dornia kicked his thigh, knocking him back. The thunder boomed throughout the clouds. His sword lowered as Dornia ran for him, her sword favoring her left lower guard. He raised his sword from the fool's guard and attempted to run her through but met steel instead of flesh. Dornia bashed into him with all of her weight, knocking him over into the mud with force. Dornia faced the katanna as she strided through the slick mud with grace, her firm footing keeping her up straight. He faced her, his sword facing her at the ready.

Dornia matched his stance at her right, approaching him and forcing his hand. He smiled as he cut for her gut, meeting her blade instead. As he went to redirect the cut, he met her pommel in his sternum. He staggered as she spun counter-clockwise into a cut at his thigh. He nearly was unable to match her speed, glancing her blade and following through with a cut. Dornia ducked from the sword and cut for the other leg. The leader jumped back, the sword flying under the appendage instead of through it. He immediately flew back at her with murder in his eyes, only to be met by a similar look. Dornia cut for his right shoulder amd met his sword, only to strike again and again. Four strikes by her heavier sword before she changed direction and staggered her strikes. Two to the left, one to the right, three more to the left, another three to the right as she chipped away his defenses and wore his stamina down. For just a moment, his hand slipped on his hilt. It was not enough for a cut with her sword but she seized the moment anyway, punching him square in the nose as hard as she could. He stumbled backward. staggered and disorientated, as Dornia slashed upward across his chest and halfing his health. He yelped in pain and laughed hysterically as he regained his posture, his face showing strain as he tried to block out the pain. He returned the favor to her, striking for her chest and instead hitting her arm. Luckily it did not sever it but had her arm not moved, it may have been. She kept up the momentum if her moving her arm and fell into a smooth cut for his arm, finding the hilt of the sword instead. She let go of her pommel with her left, grabbing his collar, and head butted him. She wrapped a leg around his and, both becoming disarmed in the frey, devolved into a wrestle. Dornia backhanded him with her sharp knuckles, puncturing his cheek, and followed her strike with two quick punches. The leader knocked her hand away and began choking her, his grip like a vice. Dornia pulled a dagger from her boot and plunged it into his ribs, causing his grip to loosen. Raising the dagger with one hand, she went for his heart, only for it to be caught by his hand. The two growled and grunted in exhausted anger as they brawled. Dornia placed her other hand on the back of the pommel, leaning all of her weight into the dagger. She wanted nothing more than to end his life. It was him or her and she was going to be damned certain it would be him. The two were locked in a struggle of strength, the tip mere centimeters from his breast, and Dornia was slowly winning. The lightning flashed, illuminating a flash of steel flying toward her. Dornia rolled off of her muddy opponent, and narrowly missed a flying blade. The thunder roared, lingering this time as it crashed through the clouds. Dornia Saw the swordsman and noticed he stood on her sword, denying her it's retrieval. Angered, she tightened her grip on the dagger and stood up right. She was completely coated head to toe in mud and drenched thoroughly.

She bolted for him, now relying on the smaller blade for her protection. Unless she got close, this blade would do her no good at all. She had to get him off of her sword if they were to engage in a duel. She headed directly for him, the swordsman readying for her and swinging for her body. He missed entirely as she dived for his legs, the slick mud carrying her over it's surface with speed and compromising his stance once she made impact. Dornia managed to knock him over, grabbing her sword by the pommel as she slid. She scrambled to her feet, her entire torso caked in mud. Now armed, she returned her dagger to it's sheath. Snaking her sword, she signaled to him she was to fight. Her hips to her opponent, she glanced to where the leader once wad to find him limping away, giving a final maniacal laugh as he teleported away with a flash of light blue fragments that dissipated quickly. Her attention quickly turned back to the swordsman who shouted as he swung for her, "It's just you and I, Fer De Lance!" She knocked away his blade with hers, rolling her wrists to a high guard. Leaning to the side, she contorted her left hand forward and over the right, causing the blade to cut upward from an awkward angle. Dornia continued her attack through with a standard strike, only to feign at the last moment and undercut from the left. The swordsman grabbed the middle of his blade and went for her gut after dissipating her blows. Dornia lept to the side only to meet his cross guard with her waist. Although her waist plate absorbed the blow, she still very much felt the force. She leaned to her opponent and dropped the sword hilt, catching the blade and dashing forward, striking him in the back with her pommel. The blow was a hard one, the thunk of metal hitting metal was like a hammer on steel. It rang through the rain and traveled through the plains. He responded with an elbow to her face, knocking her backward and dazing her a moment. He turned around and kicked her chest, knocking her backward into the mud and leaving her breathless. She made out the sword as he raised it, about to plunge it into her. Dornia, still not fully realizing the situation, pulled her sword over her and blocking the stabbing blade with the fuller of her sword. He pulled his sword back and went for a chop, only to meet her sword once again blocking his kill. He raised his sword and Dornia swung her sword from the blade, hitting his knee and causing it to buckle for a moment, giving her a window to stand up. As she lifted her torso, she was tackled by the swordsman who held his sword blade and hilt against her neck, Dornia's gauntlet being the only object between life and death. She reached for her dagger but found it out of reach with this man straddling her chest. He began applying his weight to the sword as she looked around for a weapon. In the morning light, she spotted the glint of the dagger the leader tossed to the ground near her foot.

Twisting her hips, she tried to kick the dagger toward her hand. It was a difficult task due to the angle but Dornia knew she couldn't remain locked in a wrestle with the swordsman, the disadvantage was too severe. Her first kick was a failure, her leg simply sliding around in the mud. Her second attempt managed to uproot the dagger from the mud it was stabbed in, tilting it toward her but still out of the blonde's reach. Dornia felt the weight of the sword increasing, or perhaps, her strength was beginning to wain. The stare into the eyes of imminent death stared back as Dornia's blood ran cold. The fear of death flooded into her once again, her face starting to show the rising panic. This did not go unnoticed as the swordsman began taunting her, giggling and shushing her as the blade came closer and closer to her throat. One last kick, it's all she had time for before she ended up like the other three. The dagger lept half a meter and toppled just barely within reach of her left hand. She desperately reached for it, her hand grasping at mud. Finally, she found the hilt and made sure the blade found his gut. She screamed in fearful anger as she stabbed him once, twice, three times in the gut. He howled in pain, retracting his sword and grasping his stomach in pain. She went for another stab, only for her to be punched in the face. "You- You bitch!" He painfully said, his health bar now at ten or fifteen percent. Dornia hit the mud and lost grip of the dagger. "I think I'll visit your friend right after I'm done killing you!" He shouted at her. Dornia did not think as rage filled her insides, finally bursting. Her hand found a rock that barely fit in her hand, rolled over, and sprinted at the man in a savage scream. Images of her friend flashed before her. Images of her in distress like before. She didn't want to see them. Not now, not ever. Each image imagined of what may happen should she die here today filled her with blind fury. Before Dornia realized her surroundings, she was on top of the swordsman and striking his head as hard as she could, dazing him and chipping away his health bar. He grasped her throat and began squeezing with all his might. Dornia did not stop, strike after strike as the only noises leaving her lips were struggled gasps. Crack after crack, eventually the hands fell limp as Dornia felt the body beneath her explode into fragments. It wasn't until her rock hit mud that she realized her situation. Tears poured from her face as she caved to the sickening rage and realization of four lives she had just taken. She fell back on her knees and looked to the sky, silently weeping _. Why did I even come here?_ She thought to herself, the rainfall growing lighter and the clouds parting. _I nearly died. They could have killed me._ She fell backward in the mud, covered head to toe and soaked from the rain. _They could have killed me._ She repeated in her mind. She laid in the mud for some time, the clouds dissipating and the sun revealing the field of battle once again. _They could have killed me over some stupid map. Why didn't I just hand it over to them? I could have avoided this, couldn't I? Maybe they would have let me go free... or maybe they would have just killed me with my guard down._ Dornia wiped her eyes, smearing mud across her face. She rose to her feet, her once brilliantly blue and silver armor now covered in brown caked mud that dried and cracked as the sun dried it. She recalled the taunts, the threats, their attacks, her hand subconsciously moving to her throat where the swordsman squeezed with intent to end her life. The breeze carried with it the smell of petrichor, a smell that reminded her of home and brought her to the image of Kiu. Dornia, still fraught with grief from the battle, looked to the morning sky and smiled. "They could have killed me... but they didn't."

Wiping away another tear, she bent down and picked up her sword to hear a rustle in the grass. Like a torrent, she whirled into a fighting stance and faced the sound. It was not an assassin or another foe who wanted to take her life, but her friend who wore a speechless expression. She studied Dornia's face; terrified and angry, coated in mud and fear in her eyes. She looked at her armor whose boots were so covered in mud, one would never had known they were once silver. Her arm still glowing red from the cut of the sword that tried to decapitate her. The once navy blue cloak was practically made of mud. Her hair soaked and spotted with mud that spattered and smeared her face. Dornia lowered her sword and removed her heavy hood, a nick on her cheek still glowing as well. Dauntless saw her health bar half depleted and her once green icon was now orange, displaying her as a criminal to the entire world. Dauntless opened her mouth to speak but there were no words, only vague questions she could not bring herself to ask. Dornia did not speak either, smiling as her tears began flowing again. She sheathed her sword, her hands shaking. Dauntless approached the motionless blonde, her boots squishing in the still thick mud, and pulled her into her arms. Dornia's arms stayed at her side for a moment as her head was buried in her shoulder. She didn't want to cry. She tried her best not to show weakness to her friend but that was not how these games worked. In this game, you can't hide your emotions so easily.

Had somebody spied them, they would have seen a girl covered in mud after the fresh rains on the plains surrounded by marshes. They would have seen a ragged cloaked woman wearing a lute who embraced the girl whose icon displayed a criminal. Had somebody spied them, they would have hear the muffled sobs of the blonde that carried through the wind and disturbed the sound of the grass that rustled. Had somebody spied them, they would have seen the aftermath of a battle, the mud showing the scuffle of six where only one remained. The survivor of a savage attack where skill prevailed and instinct kept her alive. This, however, was impossible. For the early morning, the heavy rain, and the thunder and lightning discouraged those who would have traveled the roads and contained them to the dry and warm taverns and houses. They cozied to their hearths and enjoyed their stews. Not a soul knew but those who survived. The blonde and the troubador who stood among the drizzle as the thunder boomed in the distance.

The lute player pulled the door closed behind them, the latch locking on the wooden door frame. Pulling her lute from her back, she hopped onto a dresser and began plucking at the strings. Dornia, meanwhile, was examining the bookshelf for any literature to pass her time but found nothing of interest. She groaned in displeasure as she fell back onto the bed. There was a moment of silence as Dornia listened to the plucking of strings, taking notice that there was no particular rhythm to her chords. She knew she was thinking about something but was having trouble wording her next sentence. As if she gave up, she stopped playing and blurted out, "Another fine performance, eh? Pretty tough to show the crowd 'Dauntless and Fer De Lance' when you're pouring over that map of yours. A map, by the way, you _still_ have yet to explain where you got it and what it's for." Dornia did not answer. She simply pulled the map from her pocket and examined it again. "C'mon blondie, it's been a week! What's going on?" Dauntless asked, frustrated with her partner's disposition to the subject. "Come on, kid. Don't I deserve at least an explanation? What's with the map and what happened that morning?" Dauntless noticed she wasn't looking at the map, but past it. Her face was stoic but her eyes showed distress. Dauntless knew something was eating at her but she wasn't sure what. That morning, they didn't talk. They gathered theit gear and moved on without a morning performance or even an explanation. She knew they needed to leave that floor for the sake of her apprentice. It wasn't for another two floors that she began speaking again but she didn't eat and she hardly slept. When it came time for a show, she would sit in the corner and read that dammed letter or look at the map she's clung to like a life line. "Look kid..." Dauntless started, unsure of herself, "I want to help you but... but I don't know how if you don't tell me what's going on." Dornia remained silent, recalling the events in her head and feeling sick to her stomach. Dauntless was about to speak but was cut off by Dornia's reply. "I... survived. I don't know why but I feel guilty. I know it was mme or them but... but I lost control." Dauntless pondered her answer before hopping off the dresser and lying next to her on the opposite side of the bed. She wanted to place a hand on her, comfort her in some way, but any way she thought of seemed like it wasn't enough. "You lost control? I don't understand..." Dornia dropped the map on her chest and covered her eyes with her hands. "They wanted to kill us. They wanted my map, they wanted to kill me... the things they said they would do to you when they were done." Dauntless saw tears slipping past her hands and falling onto the furs that covered the bed. "They wanted to kill us? What do you mean? Who?" Dauntless asked, concern in her voice. Dornia shook her head, signifying she didn't have a clue who. Dauntless sighed, pulled her arm around Dornia's neck, and held her in an attempt to comfort her even just a little. She knew the pose was awkward and uncomfortable for her but it seemed to be working. Dornia took a deep breath, her voice quivering as she tried to compose herself. Dauntless' tone was sympathetic and gentle as she spoke, "We have all night. Let's hear it from the beginning, yeah?"

Dornia took her time as she explained the events of that day. The cloaked men she spotted in the bar, the sleepless night filled with paranoia and a dagger in her hands, the courier that delivered the letter from her parents. She went into detail about the letter's contents, her theories about the quest, the laughing man who stalked her and spied on her. She told her about the five on one fight, finding it difficult to speak of parts of it either due to shock or her mind going blank and not remembering. She told of the spearman who taunted her being cut in two and how she felt numb inside, knowing she had killed a person. Her first of four that day. She explained how she knew it was a fight for survival for her and couldn't help but feel guilty. The fear in the rapier wielder's eyes as she took his life, the sheer will to kill the target felt mutual between her and the swordsman. She nearly cried as she told her of the melee that turned to a savage brawl where she nearly was choked to death, noting that she felt nothing but anger as she beat the man to death with a rock. After a pause, choking back sobs, she explained their supposed reasons of why they were going to kill them. The blonde sat in silence for a moment, breathing deep as she tried to suppress the primal urge to cry. Finally, she explained why she couldn't let them take the map, thinking this was her best chance to find Kiu.

"I feel all this remorse, this guilt... yet if it had happened, I'm not sure if I would have done it any other way. Dauntless..." Dornia paused, thinking as she stared at the ceiling of their room, "I survived... I understand I survived because I was better. I understand that but this feeling won't leave me. It hurts... it hurts so bad." Dauntless sat in silence, still holding the blonde. "Dornia... you may not want to hear it but it gets easier. I know it hurts now but it will only keep eating you until there is nothing left but misery if you don't move on." Dornia looked at her, a puzzled look meeting Dauntless' gaze. "How do you know?" Dauntless looked back to the ceiling, "Every warrior has scars, even if you can't see them. You have them too, that feeling inside that hurts. I can't make that pain go away... only you can. I can, however, help you cope with the pain. After all, a knight in shining metal is just a knight who has never had their metal truly tested." "I think I've heard you say that before. What is that supposed to mean?" Dornia asked. "I think it means no great person ever became great without overcoming challenges. You fought to protect me, to protect Kiu, to protect yourself. That's what matters, not how you did it. You stood your ground and you prevailed." Dauntless reviewed her words in her head, feeling a bit embarrassed with some of her wording before continuing. "You know, the best ballads come from real experiences. I use them to vent, why don't you give it a try?" Dornia pondered for a while as they sat in silence for a few minutes.

After what seemed like forever, Dornia finally broke the silence. "I know it's a bit rude to ask but..." She stammered, growing less confident as she talked. "What do you vent about?" Dauntless sighed with a smile, "Believe it or not, in the real world I am a doctor. My work is a bit stressful and, in that line of work, patients inevitably die. Sometimes you can save them, sometimes you can't..." Her voice became quieter as she spoke in a sad tone, barely noticeable but it was there lingering like a shadow, "Every time it happens, no matter the circumstances, I am left second guessing myself. Maybe I could have done something different? Maybe I could have been faster? Every time it happens, I know it isn't my fault, but I feel like it is." Dauntless looked content, as if staring at someone in the distance, her warm smile never leaving her expression. "You know, had I never experienced these failures, I'd have probably never picked up an instrument but here I am." She looked at Dornia, still smiling, "I don't regret a single moment because I'd never be who I am had I not needed the escape. It's strange... the way music can take you away from your emotional troubles and at the same time amplify them ten fold. It's surreal and I love every second of it." "Is that why you play? To escape?" Dornia asked. Dauntless looked back to the ceiling, "No, I don't think so. I think I play to share the joy I feel from music to others who need an escape too. That, and to immortalize moments of my life in ballads I've written. Unfortunately there is no shortage of depression in this world so, with my dandy lute and charming blonde apprentice, we offer an escape from the harshness of this world. That, I think, is a good thing." Dornia was silent for a while longer, the flickering light of candles casting shadows of decorative items that danced across the walls and ceiling. She observed them as she recalled their shows, audience reactions, and how good she felt doing them. She took particular notice of the fact that she is very uncomfortable under a spot light but when she wields her fiddle, it was both her shield from the fear and her sword that drove away the fear. It was a part of her and, when she held it, wheb she played it, she felt comfort. It's sound reminded her of home, reminded her of family, reminded her of what she must fight for. What everyone fought for... freedom from this world that they were imprisoned in. Everyone had their scars from it and more to come, no matter how big. Whether by loss of loved ones or loss of their own life, Dornia was a victim like the rest.

She swiped through her inventory, holding the fiddle and setting the bow beside her on the furs that covered the bed. Dauntless watched her, her arm still around her, as Dornia inspected the familiar instrument. Identical in nearly every way to the one she had in the real world. She stroked the wooden body, feeling the tiny strings, and tracing the perimeter of it's petite neck. "Tell me, Dornia. How did you feel before the battle. Be honest." Dauntless asked in a gentle tone. "Terrified... anxious and paranoid. I... I kept questioning myself of why I was doing it." Dornia struggled to recall the events, the entire ordeal being a blur. "And during the battle?" Dauntless asked the blonde. "I felt numb, angry... I tried to keep calm but I felt so angry. It was so hard to contain. I remember I kept reminding myself not to let them see my emotion. They kept taunting me but..." Dornia felt her throat tighten and took a few deep breaths to calm down before she continued. "I survived in the end and four of them did not. The entire fight was anger and a worry of failure. I could see in my mind their threats flashing... I wish I couldn't but I did and... it pissed me off. I wanted to kill them after that." The blonde began choking up, anger in her voice. "I wanted to kill them all so badly, I lost control." Tears began welling but none fell to the furs she laid upon. "How about after the fight? When you were finally alone, finally safe from the assassins." Dornia shook her head, wiping her eyes with one hand as she held the fiddle with the other. "I don't know. Like a well of relief, a sickening... triumph? I was happy to be alive but felt so... dead inside. Like a part of me had broken. When I saw you, it felt like... I don't know, I couldn't stop crying. I felt so weak and pathetic but.. but I couldn't stop. I don't understand why I cried so much because I was so happy to see you were safe. They didn't get you. They said they would but they didn't. I didn't let them..." She wiped a tear away as she continued to examine the instrument. "Remember those emotions. Remember them and try to convey them in song. Immortalize them and learn to love the sound." Dauntless said, her tone cheery, "It becomes easier over time and may even make you happy to hear them." Dornia spoke softly with a hint of despair in her voice, "I don't want to be happy about it. Four people are dead... by _my_ hand. I don't want my persona to be a girl who is happy to have killed." Dauntless reached her other arm over and rustled her hair, "You're missing the point. It's got nothing to do with how others think of you. It's about what _you_ think of you. Like it or not, these ballads are you... your life and who _you_ are. If you're honest with yourself like you were honest with me, you'll be happy just in knowing that it's you and nobody else who wrote it." Dornia thought on it for a moment before responding, "But I've never heard a ballad of yours that was by _you_. Have you actually ever written any?" Dauntless threw her finger in the air, "Aha, but I have. You've just never heard one of mine before. To be honest, I'm not sure if I'll ever perform one of my personal ballads." "Why?" Dornia asked. "I'm not sure of that, myself. Maybe I'm embarrassed of them... maybe I just don't want to share my closet full of skeletons with the world just yet. All I know is I sure am glad I, at the very least, have them. I used to come home from work and play them in my apartment after a bad day and, despite the subject, I always felt better." Dauntless continued to smile as she stared at the ceiling whose shadows danced across it's surface. Dornia watched as well as she laid there with the troubadour. "I think I need more than just this... er... what happened to me. If I am going to compose a ballad, it should be an epic." Dauntless looked over to the blonde to see her smiling warmly, a faint glint of determination in her sea of sorrow she had wallowed in. "What'll it be about?" Dauntless asked her, grinning. "My... our search for Kiu and our adventures, or rather, misadventures along the way." Dornia said as she stroked the fiddle's body again. "It'll need a good title..." Dauntless exclaimed teasingly. Dornia placed a hand on her chin as she thought. "Not everything comes at once, take your time with it and you're sure to have a masterpiece." Dauntless said, still wearing that huge grin. Dornia nodded, "I'm not sure yet but I think I'll give it a shot."

Dauntless reached across to Dornia's chest and grabbed the map, examining it. "You said the letter came from your parents?" She asked as she looked it over, noticing the unfamiliar word and the number twenty four. "Yeah, why?" Dornia asked. "Are they here too? In Aincrad, I mean." Dauntless looked at the illustration with a quizzical look. "Not that I know of... it's possible but I don't think so, it was grocery day so both of my moms went to the market." Dornia said, surprising even herself with what she recalled that day. "Then how did you get a letter from your parents?" Dauntless asked, thoroughly confused. Dornia sat the fiddle down and retrieved the letter from her inventory, it materializing in her hand. "They helped make the game." She said as she looked over the letter again. "Wait, your parents helped make SAO? How could they let you play it?" Dauntless asked with disbelief. "Well mom is a programmer for the company and mother is a lead designer for items. Particularly weapons and some armor. They weren't working with Kayaba so I don't think they knew..." Dornia explained. Dauntless replied in a monotone voice, "Oh yeah, forgot about those. Yeah, that makes sense..." Dornia shook her head in disbelief, failing to contain her smile. "Remind me never to become your patient." She joked.

"So what's it about? The letter, I mean." Dauntless asked, turning the map in all directions to see if there was a trick to the angle of the illustration. "It's a letter that triggers a quest. One other person, implied I know who, will recieve three letters with maps like I will. This is just the first of three. Apparently they lead to keys. Find my three while she finds three and we probably get a map leading to a treasure." Dornia explained as she read the letter. "How do you know it's a she?" Dauntless asked. "Isn't it obvious? It says right here that I already know who. If this was a tailor made quest for me, then it was made while the game was still in development. It has to be Kiu. Who else could it be? That, and the quest is called, 'Seven Years Since Then' or something. Kiu and I have been together for seven years or so, now. Maybe not dating but we became friends then." Dauntless reviewed what she heard in her head for a moment. "You know, it's a pretty kind gesture for your parents to do that for you guys. I think that's sweet of them. How did you and her meet? Not to get to personal, that is." Dauntless held her hand up defensively, trying not to offend the fiddler by prying so deep. "Eh? Er... well she had just moved next door from Wakkanai and saw me practicing for my first family fencing tournament to be held in Germany." Dornia smiled warmly as she recalled the memory. "There I was, a little girl with a sword, swinging it at a pell and thinking I was a complete bad ass. Out of the corner of my eye is a girl peeping over the fence at me, just a mop of black hair and golden brown eyes. A bit taller than me but about my age. I waved, she waved back. For a while, she just watched me as I practiced and talked but later began coming over. She was probably my first real friend. We had this tree in our back yard, a big cherry blossom tree. Biggest you've ever seen with charms hanging from it. Bright red with tassels like the ones from China." Dauntless listened with a smile, enjoying the moment as her partner described the fond memory with passion. "I guess that's what my parents thought would look good, misappropriation of culture and all that. Anyways, under the tree was a bench and a rock garden of river rocks. We would sit under that tree for hours and just talk. Talk about what ever, it didn't matter. Sometimes we didn't even talk, just being next to her was enough. Eventually I realized that I liked her more than a friend and one day, under that tree, I just kissed her. I don't know why even to this day. I was so scared how she would react. Terrified even. I thought she might have screamed or hit me but instead, she just smiled and kissed me. We've been together ever since." Dornia concluded, a warm smile on her face. Dauntless didn't answer, just listened and enjoyed the story. Dornia asked, "Hey Dauntless... Does it ever get easier?" "What do you mean?" The troubadour inquired. "I mean killing people." The blonde's voice shrunk as she spoke. Dauntless' tone turned to something sad, sitting in silence before replying. "Yes. It does." Dornia wanted to ask but didn't, feeling it to be inappropriate. She, instead laid in silence for what seemed like forever before she broke the silence. "Hey Dauntless, I know you don't like to listen to me wallow in self pity and all but thanks... for listening I mean. I know I don't seem worth the trouble sometimes and that's okay. I'm just glad you gave me the chance and dragged me along with you on this crazy adventure. I swear sometimes you'll get me killed, or I'll get you killed, but I don't think I regret it." Dornia watched as the familiar shadows that danced across the ceiling and walls flickered with the candles glow. She looked over and saw her partner fast asleep, her arm still around her. _That can't be comfortable._ Dornia thought to herself, knowing all to well that once she has her grip on something, she isn't likely to let it go. She looked back to the ceiling, speaking aloud, "I think I'll call the ballad, 'No Triumph Without Strife'..."

[End of Chapter 4: Expect chapter five at the end of April and thanks for reading! I appreciate those who leave feedback and love constructive criticism that may improve my skills. Yet again, thanks for reading!]


End file.
